Toshinori's Todoroki
by Tweepa
Summary: All Might finds a romantic interest in Endeavor's older sister.
1. Chapter 1

I had spent the last years in America, building my reputation and getting experience under my belt, just as Gran Torino said would be for the best. Returning put me back in All For One's clutches, but I felt far more ready than if I were a green graduate from UA. I watched the land barrel closer with the plane's dipped nose and tilted wings. While some passengers were jostled with the dramatic bump that comes from a heavy object meeting the ground, I was grateful for the landing. I'd tried wheels and landing gear of my own to minimize the damage to my surroundings, but even the finest of mechanisms wore out within a single use, if it survived that long.

I wore the form I was born with not only to arrive stealthily to my home country, but for the sake of the fellows in my row. Smaller and slighter, I had not amassed any of the dirty looks that would have come if I were All Might. I cast the silent passengers one last glance as the aircraft rolled smoothly to the terminal. Mumbling people stretched and eagerly departed from their cramped chairs. Some filed off to the baggage claim while others, like me, only had carry-on bags. I had my phone, wallet, and of course my suit - just in case someone needed a hero.

As I walked, I listened. I enjoyed the day to day noises of travelers, the soft hum of electricity, even smell of overpriced food that tantalized my empty gut. Whole it was tempting to stop, I forced myself to keep going. The airport, like all others, was notoriously overpriced. AllI had to do was make it to one of the grocery or fast food chains outside the doors and I'd pay a far more reasonable sum.

At my last step, the automatic doors flew open. "Shit!" An undeniably feminine voice called out one of the least lady-like words. Acting on instinct, I jumped to attention and looked for the source of trouble. It took less than a few seconds for me to see a kid rushing with an oversized bag of apples. Even if I could have changed into my costume, there was no need. I stepped to intercept the boy, nearly tripping him in the process, and put a hand on the youngester's shoulder, halting him in his tracks.

"Are those yours?" I asked, staring down with a shadow of a smirk on my lips.

"N-yes," the lad answered in a rapid breath, all while he glanced hastily over his shoulder. "You've got to let me go! Here she—"

As interested as I was in hearing the rest of the story, I peered up to look at the assumed victim in the petty crime. Once I looked, it was hard to take my eyes off her. She rushed me, her turquoise eyes fixed firmly on Apple Lad. "Thanks," she breathed quickly, barely looking at me. Her hand reached out and snapped the net of produce away. "If you want these, you have to work for them," she declared firmly, like a mother scolding a child. I guessed her age to be early twenties at most, nowhere near old enough to have a kid of this age. The red fruit's flesh was precisely the vibrant hue of her shoulder length hair. While tall enough in my true form, she had a few inches on him. "You can come organize my stand and pray nobody stole anything else while I had to chase after you." Just like that, she grabbed his ear and began to lead the futilely struggling half-pint back to the nearby market. "Hey, you," she paused and nodded her head to me. "Come pick some stuff out as a reward."

My gut still rumbling, I moved obediently towards the hope of food. We walked through the bustling city to the local market, where a stand of produce stood seemingly untouched. Clearly relieved by the sight, the red-head released her hold on the boy and walked around her stand. She pulled out a spray bottle of water with a fresh rag and plopped them on the narrow lip of wood that could barely be called a counter. A girl only a few years younger than the red-head mans the stand, her white hair a bit longer and eyes grey. "Hey Rei," she greeted the other woman, only to shortly round on Apple Lad. "First, wipe any smears off the apples," she demanded. "Then advertise. For every five things you sell, you can choose _one_ thing to take home." Needing no more encouragement than that, the tyke set to work.

For her to chase after the boy, business must have been hurting. I shuffled through his duffel bag and tried to pull out my wallet, all without flashing the vibrant garment hidden within. "You don't need to pay," the red-head declared, sounding amused. "You just stopped this hoodlum from a lifetime of crime. Who knows where he would have gone after his first successful theft?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully and smirked. The boy blushed beneath the critizism.

"Probably J-walking," I offered, stricken with wit. The young woman laughed at my joke and looked me over with wat I'd dare to call a smile.

"I'm sorry, in my haste I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Teiko. This is my friend Rei," she gestured to the girl with snowy white hair. On cue, Rei bobbed her head in greeting, her gray eyes strayed a moment on my frizzy mess of blonde that I dared to call hair. Unlike her friend, she doesn't say a word.

I found the two girls' opposing personalities strangely complimentary and refreshing. "I'm Yagi." At times like this, I was glad to look like a beanpole, as it was an effective secret identity.

"Pick what you'd like, Yagi. Would you like some tea?"

"I would, thank you."

"Rei, can you heat up the kettle?"

"Of course," the teen answered.

The more I watched them, the more I was convinced the girls had at least five years difference in age. I stood quietly, unsure what to do with the silence. Thankfully, Teiko decided to fill it. "Were you anywhere fun?" She asked as I pursued the wooden crates. In the end, I chose a ripe green pear.

Instant alertness filled me. How had she known he'd been gone? Did she see the suit? It took me a moment to remember that I'd just walked out of an airport. The panic faded as fast as it came and I answered as calmly as I could, "it was fun in some places and not as much in others." My vague answer only seemed to draw more curiosity from them both. Teiko opened her mouth to say some more, but I cut her short. "I apologize, ladies, but I'm tired from my flight and need to be headed home. How about a rain-check on that tea?" I gripped the pear and waved my fisted hand.

"See you around," Teiko declared casually, as if she spoke to anyone with such familiarity. I returned to my long vacant apartment and set about making the place feel less like a graveyard. A picture of Nana sat burdened with dust atop my equally covered desk. I took the time to wipe the surface down before I collapsed into bed.

The next day, I was no longer Yagi Toshinori, but All Might. With the power of One for All, my goal was to become the Symbol of Peace not only for my beloved country, but for the world. My time overseas had been everything Sorahiko, Gran Torino, had wished for. I learned how to fight and put the final touches on my quirk. I'll admit, I was a bit nervous for my first day back home. If anyone knew of my reputation in America, I'd have to meet their expectations. I knew that every move I made would be scrutinized and criticized. I had to be perfect. Once I was prepared in mind and body, I only had to walk to the agency to get squared away. I pushed out of my apartment complex and grinned merrily at any who looked at me, even waving to one particularly awestruck lass.

Looking like a hero was a definite boost for my self-esteem. It was much easier to envision myself as everything I dreamed I'd be when I was over seven feet tall and had my head a bit closer to the clouds. On my way, I stopped at a cross walk and waited for the light to change, belatedly noticing Apple Lad by my left calf. I cast an especially broad beam down to the boy. In his nervousness, the Apple Lad began to walk almost the moment the light changed. In his haste, he failed to notice a black car that streaked towards him. I moved swiftly, catching Apple Lad by the hand and pulling him back just in time. A symbol of peace has to start somewhere. The boy muttered something that could have been an apology, made a show of looking both ways, then crossed the street with haste. I offered him a reassuring thumbs up. "Better watch where you're going," I suggested before I crossed my first destination.

By the time I filled out the appropriate paperwork and was properly licensed for hero work, it was noon and I was famished. Though I had quite the reputation on my heels, I was at the bottom in my home country and only assigned to the most basic tasks – for now.

I began my patrol slowly, making sure to see and be seen. While some looked at me, most were far too accustomed to the society of heroes to glance at a man in spandex anymore. I turned down the street that would lead me to the marketplace, hoping foolishly that I could check in on the boy. At least that's what I told myself. Truthfully, I was curious how Rei and Teiko would react to this stronger, better, faster, stronger version of myself. I wondered; if she had been nice before, surely she'd be doubly welcoming to a man that looked the part of a hero.

I was able to catch Apple Lad's tale. "I tried to go, but a really strong hand grabbed me. It felt like iron, then WHOOSH! I was pulled back!" He theatrically drooped back, as if abruptly pulled. "His hair was taller than a deer's antlers, it was crazy!"

With a smirk on his lips, I chose then to reveal himself. Apple Lad released a most undignified squeak and vanished among his audience of three. Rei and Teiko were present, as I'd hoped, as well as a hero so young that he could only have graduated within a few years. The young man narrowed his eyes at the me, his apple-red hair matching Teiko's far too precisely for me to mark the hue as a coincidence. "This is the guy, huh?" He looked me over, but unimpressed by any part of me. He appeared to be somewhere between the women in age.

"Relax," Teiko said with a stern frown. She turns her head to address me. "Thank you for saving Riku. He seems to be a bit of a problem child," she declared with a small bow of her head and cheeks flushed with embarrassment. I found her change in demeanor flattering. "I'm Todoroki Teiko, this is Yuri Rei, and Endeavor, my little brother." This time, I noticed how I was given more thorough introductions. I grinned through it all. "It's nice to meet everyone. I'm All Might," I declared, keeping his spine straight and posture heroic. Endeavor never took his eyes off me. Aside from their hair, both siblings had strong jawbones, a commanding presence, pale skin, and vibrant turquoise eyes.

Rei is the one to make the offer. "If you'd like anything, take it, on the house," she suggested, her light complexion flushed as well. Endeavor finally broke his sharp stare to glare first at his sister, then her friend. The young snorted and stomped away, leaving me alone with the women. I turn to watch him leave, some part of me knowing that we'll meet again. I keep my grin broad and face set in triumph. At Teiko's voice, I look back.

"I'm sorry about him. He's… a bit much," she apologized, seeming to jump free of her daze. "Yes, as Rei says, take anything." Since she insisted, I selected a red apple. I looked between them both, seeking any signs of recognition, but was as relieved and disappointed as always to see that they hadn't connected me to the scrawny fellow from yesterday. "Have a safe day," I declared, then departed as swiftly as I'd come.


	2. Chapter 2

I established enough of a routine so that, whenever possible, I found myself going to the market to speak with Teiko. At first we had the usual talks. What does a hero do? What was my favorite part of the job? These were questions I'd answer for anyone and had answered in many interviews. By the end of my second week, she threw me for a loop. "Why do you keep showing up?" She asked. Despite the brazen way of asking, her tone was not rude or dismissive.

I stared at her, my grin fixed into place. My body tried to betray me. It wanted to show my embarrassment by giving me a face as red as her hair, but I wouldn't let it. "It's the best fruit in town," I declared after only a moment of reining myself in.

"Are you saying my vegetables are no good?" She retorted, brows raised. Finally, it was her turn to be the one with a smirk on her lips. Her confidence reminded me of Nana, but the rest of her turned my thoughts far from my mentor.

"No, I-" I began, wanting to defend myself.

"How would you know? Are you seeing other carts behind my back?" Teiko saw the worry flicker in my eyes and lifted her hand to her mouth, pretending to be shocked. "And here I thought we were special. You're just a produce floozy!"

Rei ruined the act with her laughter. "Did you just call him a floozy?" She asked, casting a glance between her friend and me. I was too stunned at the abrupt turn to offer much conversation. My mind whirred to try to catch up.

"There's no other word for a man who eats so much fruit from so many places." She declared dramatically, only to toss her hair with the back of her hand. I couldn't help but watch the strands dance along her neck. Even in a white shirt, smock, and jeans, she pulled me in like a deer to headlights.

I managed to catch my breath and laughed along with the joke. "I would never cheat on your fruits or vegetables," I assured the women, though mostly Teiko.

"Perfect! Now that we have that out of the way, how about you ask me on a date? I know that you know that you like me." For all the confidence in her voice, she can't hide the nervous fidget of her fingers over the counter.

Once again, I found myself thrown for a loop. This woman was going to give me a heart attack! I took several seconds to consider before I finally had an answer. "I…" My grin faded and I took a step forward. "Todoroki Teiko," I said softly, my head lowered to look her better in the eye. I put his hand on the counter and was pleasantly surprised to find how quickly she set her palm over mine. "May I have this carrot?"

Rei burst out laughing.

"No, you only get a date," she countered.

My grin returned and he pulled his hand free to accept. Without looking, I was able to reach down and pull the overlarge berry from the appropriate basket. "Then it's a date." For the sake of my sanity, I decided it'd be best if I left at once.

"We'll meet at the train station tonight at five. Wear normal people clothes, if you can find any that fit." I grinned and was about to answer, when a nearby scream echoed around the city. I managed to give Teiko a thumbs up before departing. I jumped off to save the day, the back of my mind wondering what I'd just agreed to.

I didn't have long to think. Two bank robbers with quirks went literally flying out of a window, their bag of stolen money in a burlap bag. I found the sight so cliché that my grin suddenly wasn't forced. I jumped, ready to spring into action. Just before I could land, fire spurted out beneath me, engulfing the two men in a circle of flames. It was by sheer luck that I didn't crash into the flames, but into the ring and midst of the petty criminals. I afforded them no time to consider their options. My fist crashed against the first man's jaw, then into the gut of the other. In less than a few seconds, it was over.

Endeavor stood silently on the side, his arms folded and rage pooling out of him like pus from a festering wound. I grinned. "Thanks for the assistance." I put my hand out towards him, offering a chance to share the credit.

It was then that he said his first words to me. "Clean up your mess." Inwardly, I recoiled even as he turned and walked away, his anger nearly tangible. For lack of anything else to do, I picked up the limp, still living bodies, and did just that.

Once I'd handed the attempted robbers over to the authorities and ensured the money was safe, there was only half an hour to get to the train station. My mind picked up where it had left off and I began to wonder about Teiko. Over our weeks of contact, she had said little about herself. She had a brother, a pro hero, but ran a shop with Rei, who had only recently graduated high school. I began to be suspicious, as it part of my job. Could she be working with All For One? Was the request for normal clothes a way to get me off guard? Would the train take me to a date destination, or to a trap?

Why did any of those options sound more appealing than if she was telling the truth? I knew how to fight. I defeated the scum of the earth day in and day out, but didn't know the first thing about women. As a kid, none of them had ever looked twice at me. As a hero, they were too intimidated to do anything more than gawk or ask for an autograph. Not her. Maybe being a sister to Endeavor had made her immune to the stunned fangirl reflex.

I wrestled with the idea of not showing up, but that didn't seem to be particularly heroic. How could I be a symbol if there was someone else by my side that I constantly worried about? My feet seemed to make up my mind for me. I began to move faster on my way back to my apartment. I complied with her request without a second thought as I grabbed a plain white shirt and set of brown pants. As an afterthought, I grabbed a jacket and pulled my arms through. I had no idea where the final destination would lead us, but it would be a very disappointing evening if she were to get cold and needed a coat. While mine would fit her more like a cloak, it would be better than nothing.

With only seconds to spare, I arrived at the strike of five. Teiko stood at the train's platform, a smile present on her lips. At that moment, I pushed my doubts aside and decided I had made the right choice. "Fancy seeing you here," I declared, my grin never faltering. Not too deep below the surface, terror had me second guessing my actions. What was I supposed to do with my hands? Was it rude to stand so far? Should I be closer? Sweat beaded at my forehead as I continued to overthink the situation.

"I seem to have the best luck," she replied, the train pulling in behind her and causing her hair to flutter. "This is us." I looked up at the destination and felt confused.

"We're going out in the boonies?"

"That's generally where food grows," Teiko declared, her voice a playful laugh. Utterly embarrassed and not quick enough to catch myself, I felt my face blush. "Enji and Rei already went home, so it'll be just the two of us." Over the news, I'd heard Endeavor's name spoken, but hearing her say it so familiarly seemed to sew new doubts in my gut. Maybe this wasn't All For One's trap, but his rival's.

"Sounds great," I said, and then followed her to the open door. Thanks to my hair and size, I had to duck to fit in. Every seat was expectedly full. Being two young and healthy adults, we stood. Despite the fact that we were going to the middle of nowhere, a small crowd of people pushed their way in and drove our bodies closer together. I just barely managed to mask my shock. The normally triumphant grin I wore suddenly seemed lecherous as I looked down at Teiko, my left side pressed against her right. Was the tension all in my head? I looked for any signs of distress or discomfort, but couldn't seem to find any. Our ride began. The vehicle moved nearly silently, darting through districts quickly and efficiently while still preserving the landscapes. It used very little fuel and offered a gait so smooth that there was no chance of bumping into her.

Once we reached her stop, she gently nudged me with her hip and gestured to the door. I nodded and parted my way through the crowd easily enough, as some had started to recognize my face, and others didn't want to try to stand in a seven foot tall fellow's way. When we got free, we stepped off onto a cement step, then down to a surprisingly well maintained sidewalk. Lamp posts flanked either side of our path, leaving little guesswork to the path. "This isn't what I expected when you said you were a farmer," I admitted, showing just a hint of my negligence. Maybe my statement would help her to open up.

"Nobody expects it," she agreed with a chuckle. "They expect to see gates, cows, dogs, and vast fields." Before us was a line of eight green houses, two fields plowed in precise lines, and an irrigation ditch that encompassed the modest estate in a protective moat. "Rei lives a ways more to the south, but we're right here," she declared. It took me a moment to find the speck of a house hidden in the shadow of a forest. The seclusion of the place had my senses on high alert. Surely, this was a trap, and an obvious one.

"Do you live here by yourself?" I asked, masking my worry and suspicion in small talk.

"I do, unless Enji visits and decides to take up his old room" she said at once, as if the fact that she lived in the middle of nowhere was a minute detail. I figured that she was used to the seclusion, after so many years of nothing else.

"What does your family think of this?" I knew I was prying, but I was curious. What parents would want their daughter living all alone?

"I'm pretty sure they're okay with it, considering I inherited the farm after my mom and dad died," she chuckled, making light of the heavy words.

I'm felt like a fool. "I'm sorry," I apologized quietly.

Teiko didn't even turn as she walked down the slight decline. "It's okay, you didn't know."

We moved along the remaining distance in silence. For my part, it was awkward and heavy, but she seemed perfectly indifferent. The sun had begun to set behind us, bathing the slight slopes in sun streaked kisses of reds and orange. I took a moment to look down, able to finally gauge our heights without a cart between us. She was taller than I expected, nearly five foot ten. Considering Endeavor's build, I couldn't imagine anyone in his family being petite. Their farmer heritage seemed to fit the stereotype of strong, but still capable physiques. Teiko wasn't slender, but strong and ropy, well used to physical labor. She was not at all like a stick thin or plush city girl.

I didn't know a thing about first dates, but something told me that they didn't often move right to the girl's house. I moved my eyes upwards, determined to be a gentleman. She took me to see the sights and explain how the small farm operated. In the middle of one of her explanations, I thought I saw something move in the corner. My instincts jumped to high alert and I turned sharply, my hand lifted, and I quieted her. "Something's there," I whispered.

I turned to the culprit. The heap of soil and compost seemed innocent enough. I stepped forward once, then twice. When there was nothing exposed, I leaned down to peer at the pungent concoction. Was this the trap? Would there be a bomb? I felt dread pool in my gut. It was then that the soil exploded like a volcano, dousing my hair and shoulders in litter. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't destroy her dirt, nor did I know exactly why something had happened. This was nothing like a grenade. I punched once with only five percent power, hitting nothing.

All at once, it dawned on me. "You have a quirk, don't you?"

"Two," she admitted, lifting her middle and pointer finger in the air. "Terrakinesis and pyrokinesis." She explained and set her greenhouse to its former glory. The debris floated neatly as her quirk grabbed the dirt. For things like banana peels or apple cores, she cradled each in bits of compost. All at once, the matter dropped back into an organized heap. "That's the fancy way of saying I can light fires and move dirt."

To have one quirk was average, but two was nearly unheard of. I stared at the woman in awe. Suddenly, I felt painfully conscious of how little I knew about her. "Why didn't you sell the farm and become a pro hero, like Endeavor?" I asked at once. Back then, I assumed anyone with a functional quirk and set of morals wanted to become a hero. From what I could see, she had both in spades.

"The average age of a farmer is sixty six," she stated with a simple shrug, as if that answered everything. In some ways, it did.

"But – _two_ quirks," I emphasized again, stupidly, as if she didn't know her own situation. I felt my grin slip, but couldn't find the will to glue it back on my cheeks.

"I'm aware," Teiko laughed, her patience infinite. "I've already had this talk with Enji once or twice," her tone implied it had been far more than that. I immediately felt guilty.

"That's enough of a tour. Would you like to come inside? I understand if you have somewhere to be."

"Inside sounds great," I agreed at once, dreading what a mess I had made things. Even though I had started the date looking for traps, I enjoyed the different perspective and lifestyle.

That was all it took for Teiko to effortlessly move on. "You can ask me anything, you know." She informed me as we headed out the door. For security, she put on a lock and slid a key neatly into the hole. A swift twist later, the crops were protected from mundane thieves. We made our way to the house, all the while my mind thought over the generous offer. We neared her front door and I expected her to pull out another key, but she simply twisted and pulled it open.

"Why don't you keep your house locked?"

"The produce can't fight back, but I can." She answered, grinning up at me. I raised my brows, astounded. Something about the stretch of her lips felt like a parody of my Cheshire smile.

"Are you mocking me?" I asked, feeling my mask slip back into place.

"Never, young All Might." She declared smugly, her taunt clear. We stepped through the doorframe and to the home. It was perhaps half the size of the greenhouses, with stairs leading to a second floor. I'd learn later that there were two decent sized bedrooms that had views overlooking the land. For the moment, all I saw was a small kitchen with a bathroom neatly tucked away. A single table with a corner bench offered the only seating. There was no television, despite the fact that the house clearly had electricity.

"What do you do for fun?" I couldn't imagine the long days of toiling.

"I sleep. What about you?" Something about her tone seemed to hint at triumph.

I was unprepared for the question. For a moment I paused and thought. When nothing came to mind, I shrugged. "The same." I realized she called me out on my hypocritical thought.

"That's what I thought," she declared. She grabbed a pan from a ceiling rack and opened her small fridge. "Do you have any food allergies?"

"None," I assured her, stepping closer to look. I was unsurprised to see produce fresh from the fields.

For me, a man who lived off American frozen dinners, I didn't recognize a third of what she grabbed. There was an onion, something that looked like fat grass, a root, some bulbs, eggs, and some spices. "Will you wash the rice, please?" Teiko asked. I moved forward to do just that, my hands swirling and draining the cloudy water until it ran clear. I took a chance and put the pot on the rice cooker base. Since she didn't say I was wrong, I decided I had done well, and flicked the switch down. "Thanks," she said once I finished my task.

I nodded, still considering what else to ask. "Did your parents have two quirks?" Did Endeavor?

"One each. Dad was the pyro, Mom the terra. They were the first around here to have quirks and were encouraged by their families to enter in a marriage contract to make the strongest kids possible."

"I'd heard that used to exist. Isn't it illegal now?"

Teiko finished chopping and set her mix of diced roots and whatever else into the pan. Within minutes, it smelled delicious. The honey of the ham seeped into the garlic and ginger, slightly crisping and caramelizing every bit. "It is," she agreed, "but that recently passed law didn't help us nearly three decades ago. Both of my parents were low-key heroes. Our shared family trait seems to be a strong dislike of attention."

I considered Endeavor's lack of interviews or his curt responses when a newscaster finally managed to catch him. "What was it like? Being raised with two parents in a contract?" It was a strange thing to ask, but something I was incredibly curious of. I needn't have feared, for she laughed easily enough and seemed quite at ease.

"In farm terms, I'm pretty much the prized bull that turned gay. They bought this land so Enji and I would have practice space. What's now planted used to be elaborate obstacle courses and fighting pits. Our parents told us that we didn't belong with the rest of the world. My mom and dad were ruthless to me, their best specimen. One night they told me to go to the woods and survive, so Mom put sand traps everywhere and Dad made my fire pit spark into what could have been a nasty forest fire. They spent more time on me than Enji, which made him jealous. Now he has the spotlight, but no idea how to handle it." As she spoke, she stirred and lowered the heat to let everything slowly sizzle and bubble together. The amount she prepared would have been enough to feed ten people. Did she think that I'd have a higher appetite than average, or was she hungry from a long day?

I wasn't sure what to say to her horrific past. My grin felt gaudy and mocking, so much so that I decided to slip into a more neutral pose. I stood, my hair only a few inches from brushing the ceiling. "The woman I considered to be a mother died in combat. She trained me as well as she could with the time she was given, but was gone too soon." It had crushed me, and I think Teiko knew it.

She stopped cooking long enough to turn and look at me. Her normally playful demeanor was rigid with our serious conversation. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said, staring up at me. An unexpected tension filled the air, like two sparks had ignited. I felt compelled to take a step forward, my face attuned fully to hers. She said this was a date, so did that mean I could kiss her? Teiko hadn't moved or looked away. Was that permission?

The door opened rather abruptly, releasing a cool draft from outside. The sudden breeze blew the moment away, but not our proximity. Endeavor glared at us from the doorway, his broad figure blocked most of the dim light provided by the outdoor lamp posts. He looked at me as if I were scum on his shoe. "Get out," he snapped.

"I invited him. He and I are having dinner together," Teiko interjected, taking a step forward. As she had been sandwiched between the stove and me, she had to brush me to get closer to her furious brother.

"Get. Out." The man growled like a beast, his words perfectly clear despite the fact that they came from the thin slits of his lips. His voice was dangerously quiet, which only added to the murder in his eyes. I had heard of siblings being protective over one another, but this seemed obsessive. I defaulted to my broad, beaming smile. He narrowed his eyes, none too impressed.

"That's not going to work, Enji. Use more words. Ask questions, converse," Teiko suggested, her tone clearly mocked him. I could see her words added fuel to the fire within him.

Though he spoke, each syllable came out as a chore. "What. Are. You. Doing. With. My. Sister?" He spoke like a man through punches. In his mind, he was surely throttling me.

"Your sister invited me." My words were an echo of hers. I started to wonder if maybe Endeavor had trouble hearing.

"Yes, I heard that," he snarled. "What do _you_ want from _my_ sister?"

It was a fair question. Many heroes never took the time to marry or settle down and have a family. I was trapped in my response. To say 'friendship' would surely anger one, though admitting 'something more' would infuriate the other. Thankfully, Teiko chose to use her quirk. Microscopic flecks of dirt were drawn from the wooden floor in a neat sweep and sprayed directly in Endeavor's eyes. He stumbled backwards, his fury expressed with a wordless bellow of anger. I wanted to tell Teiko she didn't have to harm her own blood for me, I even pivoted to say as much, but the look on Endeavor's face was mirrored on her cheeks. She looked ready to storm into battle and bring home severed heads for trophies.

Compared to the charismatic girl at the fruit stand, this was entirely a different person. I wasn't sure if I liked her ability to care for herself, or disapproved of how she used her quirk. Teiko stormed across the room and promptly slammed the door in Endeavor's face. She stood for a moment and took in a long, slow breath. When she turned to face me, she seemed to have regained herself. "This is why you don't meet family on the first date."


	3. Chapter 3

Of course, Endeavor wasn't one to be stopped by a door. Only seconds after it closed, the solid wood went crashing into the house. It tore floorboards and sent smoldered splinters through the air like bullets. Not only did his face scream danger, but the fire sprouted from his palms was vibrant with fury. I hesitated. Was this a family moment, or was a hero needed?

That was all it took for Teiko to charge into her brother. While she had years of hard labor in her muscles and age on her side, she hadn't attended UA. Endeavor had training on how to read his opponent and answer in kind. In the three years since he'd graduated high school, he was steadily climbing to the top of his game. Despite the different tracks they'd taken in their lives, they were almost evenly matched, but only until Teiko used her second quirk.

For all the embers that began, she swiftly doused them with waves of dirt. Fury at being so easily read caused Endeavor to act too quickly. He aimed a predictable punch, which she dodged, then tripped him. His arms reached out to either catch him or expel fire and prevent the fall, but Teiko grabbed his hands and pulled them upwards. The hero had no choice but to fall on his face. A sickened _snap_ told me his nose was broken even before he arose. The spat was short, but disastrous. None of us had seen how the door punched a hole in the roof, but it did. In her haste for moist ammunition, Teiko had broken two of the windows.

Was it a mistake to keep smiling? I didn't know what else to do as the elder sister shoved her foot down on Endeavor's head. "Last time, Enji. Be nice, or get lost." Fire sprouted in his right fist. "If you were a good boy in the first place, your rival wouldn't have to watch you get beat up by a girl."

"He's not my rival!" Endeavor declared fiercely. He smoldered the embers in his fingers and pushed to his feet, knocking Teiko off balance to do so. She stumbled towards the other wall, putting Endeavor between the two of us. I forced myself to stay still and straight, my grin made me look calm, but I was at a loss. There was no possible way for me to read the situation and react without making one of them mad. It was like they were jugs of gasoline. One bad spark would set one or both off. He looked between me and his sister. "Fine," he snapped. He stepped over the wreckage and made his way through the gaping front entry and off into the night.

By some miracle, our food was fine. There was nowhere to eat it, but Teiko made the best of the situation. She grabbed two plates, made sure the gas was off on the stove, and we finished mixing the rice and fried ingredients with our chopsticks. "What a fine testament to my cooking. Enji would rather destroy my house than go quietly." While forced, I appreciated her attempt to lighten the tension. I said nothing while I ate my first bite. Quite comically, my eyebrows raised as my tongue exploded with flavor.

"Maybe he's onto something," I declared, affording her a genuine smirk.

"Don't tell anyone. I don't think I can afford any more angry customers," she joked. She looked up at the house and I saw muted dismay flicker in her eyes. As far as I knew, her sole income was from the fruit stand.

"I'm sure you don't want to hear it, but you could make it as a pro hero. You're a quick thinker and resourceful."

She laughed into her rice. "I just helped to total my house. Imagine what would happen in a city."

"But you didn't ruin the food," I pointed out, half in tease and half sincere. "I even have the perfect name for you. Sandspark!" I convinced myself I cared because of the good she could do. For all the lives she could save. But if I was honest with myself, I wanted to see how we fit in one another's lives. "Come with me to my agency tomorrow and we'll talk about getting you a contract. They work with stealth heroes as well. You'd never have to be a headline or take on a highly publicized case."

I know she heard me. She stared into the wreckage that was her house, keeping any turmoil she felt silent. I waited, then waited some more. Just as I was about to give up and suggest it had been a stupid idea, she spoke. "Alright, All Might." The rhyme had to be intentional. Why else would she look even the slightest bit smug outside a broken home? All she had was the farm, fields, and property. "If I can find something low profile, I'll sell the farm and become a city girl."

After much insistence, I convinced her to come home with me. I offered the bed, which she vehemently refused, pointing out my size. I felt as if I'd failed some strange test of chivalry as I climbed between my sheets, knowing that there was a woman on my couch. She'd stocked my fridge with all the leftovers that survived from her own toppled appliance. I let her use my phone to call and report the accident to a company that would strip all the lumber, wires, basically any assets, from the property. She called Rei to tell the girl and her family to collect any produce they wanted and ask about Endeavor. Of course, Teiko's brother wasn't there. He hadn't been on the train to come into town, either.

I stared at my clock. It registered as only 10 pm. What was I doing in bed? Was I supposed to entertain her now that her calls were done? Yet again, I felt like a fool. Not only did I know nothing about girls, I had no idea how to navigate familial relationships. Did normal siblings try to blow one another up, or break their noses? I groaned and rolled over. Nowhere in the storm of my mind could I find anything even resembling an answer to these impossible questions. I drifted off into a fitful sleep.

The next morning I awakened to a full spread. "You really went all out," I said, my eyes locked on the food that we definitely hadn't had the night before. Grilled salmon, miso soup, strawberries, and a bowl of freshly steamed rice had never looked so good.

I felt embarrassed by the look she gave me, like I'd said something amusing. I grinned back at her, hiding any insecurity. "So I should cook _less_?" She teased, looking to confirm my request.

"Cook as much as you want. I'm sure I'll survive." I began to eat my rice, that way my mouth wouldn't get me into any more trouble.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I can cook breakfast and you cook dinner."

I decided to remind her of our job. "It's not likely that either of us will be home for meals more than breakfast. Sometimes, not even then." Our schedules would be hectic. She would likely be put on night duty, as that was generally when the low-key heroes could best avoid the press. I tried not to wonder how long she'd be staying or when she'd get back on her feet. While I appreciated the idea of Teiko moved into her own place, I'd miss the food. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a rock," she declared happily. "I hope I didn't snore."

She most certainly had, but a closed door had offered a simple enough solution. "Not a bit." I knew enough about women to know when to lie. Whether or not she bought it, we finished our food, she washed the cutlery, showered, and we were off.

I wore my costume, while she donned a modestly cut blue shirt with buttons and black shorts. On her feet were a pair of white running sneakers, and her hair was pulled half back from her face. Compared to her normally worn, scuffed, and smock covered clothes, she looked like a new person. More than once, I had to force myself from staring. Not only was she tall and strong, but she had much more of a figure than I'd ever imagined.

The agency was run by John Grimm, a hungry entrepreneur that took me on as a favor to his American cousin. So far, I had given John little reason to regret his decision. For his hero name, he went simply by his fitting last name – Grim. He had a dozen heroes working full time, a handful of interns, and only two apprentices assigned to his highest grossing employees. I punched in the code for the metal double doors and we entered the fortress of a skyscraper. Grim insisted on having his own team for weapons development, surveyors to catch public opinion, and his underground heroes – the last of which was my goal for Teiko.

We took the elevator to the top floor, where I punched a new code. "This requests admittance. Only I have this number, so Grim can decide whether or not he wants to see me," I explained to Teiko, who looked surprised by everything. To someone who hadn't had a television, I imagined how much the technology shocked and awed her. "Don't worry, you'll get it." I assured her. She smiled gratefully, and the doors opened.

Grim tapped away on his computer, only expecting me. "Great, All Might. I have a case—who is that?" He looked up to see my plus one and stared. He looked her over once, as any sane man would do. I felt a strange surge of protectiveness burn in my gut. Was it jealousy?

"I'm Todoroki Teiko." I wasn't surprised that she answered for herself. I looked down at her in silent encouragement to continue. "I have a double quirk and wanted to know –" he didn't even let her finish. Grim sat up a bit straighter.

"Todoroki as in Enji, as in Endeavor?" He asked, fishing for a publicity opportunity. "Did he hit you?" As a hero first, he has the decency to look angry at the suspicion.

Teiko was so surprised that she choked out a laugh. "What? Why would that be your first reaction?"

"Domestic abuse cases are far more common than you think among heroes," Grim declared as he shut his laptop. He gave the case his full attention.

"I'm his sister, and I was looking for a job."

"That doesn't answer whether or not he hit you, kid." Grim tapped his chin. "What are your quirks? You said you have two?"

Teiko wordlessly lifted her palms. In sync, two orbs appeared. A spiral of dirt spun in her left, while a ball of flame sputtered wildly on her right. "Terrakinesis and pyrokinesis," she explains, holding them a few moments before she closed her fists and both elements vanished.

Grim looked from Teiko to me, his mind clearly running calculations. I knew what he was thinking. How much would it cost him to get Endeavor's sister, and how much more to make her talk? If he had hit her, the story would sell well. Having her under contract would win points for the agency. I knew where the conversation would go, but wanted to let them steer it. "I'll give you five million yen for your first year. From there, we can reassess."

While the offer was generous, she wasn't even tempted. I could see it in her eyes. "My plan is to stay under the radar. No press, no high profile jobs."

"Where'd you go to school?" If he was irritated, he didn't show it.

"I went to an agricultural high school up in the northern districts," she explained. It was there that John Grimm lost his cool presence. He looked at me eagerly, waiting for the punch line. His eyes darted between the two of us, his face paling. "You're serious," he muttered. The look he gave me was one of disbelief. "You brought me some hick? Sure she's good looking and would sell well, but I can't even market her!" He glanced to Teiko and sighed. "You. My apologies, I shouldn't speak about you as if you're not here."

Grim pulled his laptop screen open and began to type. He scrolled with his finger, selected a file, and then turned the monitor towards us. On display was a man who was ink black from head to toe, with no identifying characteristics. "This is the Shadowsnail. We call him that because he doesn't talk, we have no way of knowing when he'll appear next, and he has no legs. He floats like a ghost, has no eyes, and makes it a point to abduct beautiful women. He can become incorporeal at will, so none of our physical attacks have worked. I'm thinking that you're the perfect bait. He is _slow_ , but don't underestimate him. He's responsible for eight disappearances and four murders of other heroes. If you don't want me to use you in the limelight, this is the sort of thing you'll be doing. Impossible, quiet cases." Grim grimly waited for her decision.

It sounded like too much for someone so green. I felt like she was going to turn away from such an over the top challenge. As always, she surprised me. "Sure." This time, it was not in a good way. Her face was unreadable. If she was scared or excited, she hid it well.

She looked squarely at Grim, her stoic nature mirroring Endeavor's perfectly. The hero grinned wryly and flipped the machine back to him. "Is this you agreeing to be the bait? You'll have other underground heroes helping you." Though I wanted to offer my assistance, I doubted I'd be of use.

"It is," Teiko affirmed. Where I'd be grinning through my teeth, she continued to appear stoic, as if such a mundane task couldn't faze her.


	4. Chapter 4

Grim dismissed Teiko to get fitted for a costume. As for me, he kept me in his office for a much anticipated chat. I watched my manager spider his fingers over his forehead. A sigh passed his lips. "I'm sure you think you're doing a good deed, All Might, but you're going to get that girl killed. She's arrogant and would rather take on suicide missions instead of doing a few interviews." From his tone, I judged John thought of those that operated underground as nothing more than uppity heroes with an antisocial streak. "If that bear of a brother of hers can do it, then why can't she?"

I didn't like how he spoke about her, but he was my boss. I had to tolerate a certain amount of idiocy in my superiors, just like any other job. "I could try to talk to her, but I don't think I can weaken her resolve." I admitted, fearful yet admiring of her spirit.

"Do you know why it's important to start heroes young?" I did, but he was going to go on without prompting. "It takes a certain mentality to fight or even kill a villain. If someone starts too old, they're far more likely to get messed up by it. They won't have devotion like yours. They'll face moral dilemmas after every mission. An untrained person is more likely to become a villain. They could act on what they think is right." He sighs and scratches his head. "I don't say this to upset you, but as a warning. Keep this girl at arm's length."

I didn't believe him. Why would I? Then again…I thought of how entirely she'd changed. She was selling her farm and only took a small suitcase of possessions with her. Thanks to my presence in her home, she had become homeless. I felt a small twinge of guilt, followed by a far stronger twinge of fury at Endeavor. I'd given him no reason to hate me. I couldn't have possibly comprehended how a brother became protective over their sisters. Maybe tonight we'd speak of it, if we were home at the same time. "What job would you like me to do, today?" I asked Grim in an attempt to close the conversation.

He took the hint and moved on. "Today you're going to find a car thief."

I was debriefed and spent the next twelve hours of my day doing what heroes do. I watched, waited, exploded in a flurry of action, and delivered the culprit to the officers. I almost could have done it in my sleep. I was on my way to the secretary's office to report my testimony when a tall woman in a suit caught my eye. It was like many others. Skin tight, for stealth – or so the manufacturers advertised. I personally had other reasons to like it.

"You know what stinks about being a man? If your thoughts turn too naughty, you're in a skin tight suit." She stated so brazenly that I felt my entire face grow red. Had I been that obvious? Surely there had to be a way to play it all off. I looked over the synthetic burgundy fabric, her dark boots with metal soles and matching bracers. I assumed them to be made of Invar, a popular choice among fire-based quirk users. She, of course, pushed it further. "I might need your help getting out of this thing when we get home."

"You're trying to kill me," I muttered as my mind slid down a treacherous slope.

"Nah, that's Enji's job. My task is to be bait."

Suspicion had me questioning her motives yet again. I belatedly recalled her task with the Shadowsnail. "When do you begin work?"

"Tomorrow night. I'm supposed to switch my schedule over in the next twenty four hours."

"I could take tomorrow off. I have a lot of unused days off." My quest to become the Symbol of Peace wouldn't suffer from a single day of relaxation.

"What exactly do a man and woman do during a party where nobody slumbers?" The way she said it painted a picture. One I'd very much like to be a part of, but had no idea how to get there.

"I'm sure there's a pillow fight." I said innocently enough, playing off her advances. This could only end terribly.

"We can't have a non-slumber party without one," she agreed. We both turned and headed out of the Grim Agency. At my instance, we picked up take-out yakisoba to eat at home. I carried the family sized box and grinned with reason. If we didn't sleep… I felt my heart thump faster and had to remind myself of the full-body spandex. Now was not the time to think like that. I'll admit to a spring in my step as we walked to the elevator and rode it up to the apartment. I reminded myself repeatedly that she could be teasing me and that all of her words could amount to nothing. My hope and nerves refused to be so easily quelled.

We sat on the couch with a pair of chopsticks each and shared the overlarge bowl. Neither of us was in the mood to do dishes. I kept the TV off, not wanting anything to distract from the mood. I registered how she sat closer than normal. Weeks of small talk had led to a single date where her house had exploded. Now we were under the same roof. Was this too fast? In my line of duty, I saw how men and women could die from a single misstep. A dodge too slow or swiftly drawn gun could end everything in the blink of an eye.

"Are you alright, All Might?" She used the same rhyme. Teiko leaned back and released her half captured hair from its ponytail. My mind was a flurry of indecision.

"I am. Why do you ask?"

"You've been staring at me since we left the agency, and you aren't smiling." I felt the accusations fall precisely on the truth. "I'm sorry you've had to put up with me so much. The minute I'm paid, I'll be out of your hair – as voluptuous and welcoming as it is."

I shied to think of her on her own. "You can stay with me longer than that. You could get a feel for the city and find an appropriate place for you. That'd be better than taking up residence somewhere just because it happens to be available at the right time."

"I'm not your problem," she assured me, as if I ever thought of her as a burden. "You've done enough for me. I'd look into moving in with Enji, but I don't think his house could survive the night. I have no idea how our house made it as long as it did."

"If you have to choose between homelessness, Enji, and me, I hope you pick me." I declared softly.

Apparently it was the right thing to say. Before I knew what was happening, her lips were on mine. My grin crumpled and body turned, keeping her as in front of me as possible, despite the fact that we were sitting beside one another. I followed her lead as best as I could, unable to help but feel like a blind man being led over a tightrope by a master balancer. One moment we were sitting comfortably. The next, she'd managed to straddle me. I managed to find myself over and under thinking everything possible. Was I breathing too much? Did my hands go on her hips, or her head? Was I supposed to keep them at my sides? How would I know when she had enough? I needed someone to tell me these things.

Teiko pulled her face away first. Too soon, she drew her chest from mine. "You're stiff as a board," she noted. My immediate reaction was embarrassment. I assumed the worst. Awareness of my body caught up to me. Not there. What could she have meant? "If you don't want me like that, all you have to do is say no," she chuckled. "I'm not going to make it weird."

Too late. "I've never done this before," I said in a low voice, embarrassed by my lack of experience.

"Me neither." I couldn't help but feel this were a lie. Something must have given me away, for she read it on my face. "Really," she said again, her brows lifted earnestly. "I'm just following my instincts."

"Mine appear to be hiding," I joked, hoping she'd understand.

"We don't have to go any farther than a kiss," she promised me. "I've wanted to do that for a while, but now I'm done taking advantage of you. I'll be a good guest now." She plants her feet on the couch and begins to stand. Out of reflex, I grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.

"You don't need to leave." I said gently, studying her face. I knew that in mind she'd see obvious longing, but I didn't care. I liked to believe I saw the same desire in her eyes. This time it was I who closed the distance between us. I caught her in a tight embrace and reveled at the feel of a woman in my arms. I felt a sense of security mixed with an overwhelming urge to protect her. Could all of this have happened yesterday, if not for Endeavor?

She seemed happy to sit in my hold. Her arms slid on either side of my neck, as the rest of me was too bulky for her to reciprocate the gesture. It seemed that we'd sat still for hours before I felt strong enough to begin a kiss of my own. I slid my pointer finger beneath her chin and gently pulled it off my shoulder. We stared at one another, both of our desires obvious to the other. Reassured by her willingness, my lips touched hers.

We spent the rest of our time wide awake. I had never known hours to fly by so swiftly. For the first time in a long while, I considered that there may be more to life than hero work. While saving others and ensuring their lives were secure filled me with satisfaction, I had always longed for connections with others. I had experienced that comradery of a colleague, the strict discipline of a teacher, and even something identical to a mother's love, but this was unparalleled to any of them.

Come morning, we were both in the bed. Even with my quirk of One For All, my chest puffed with each breath. I wiped a thin sheen of sweat from my forehead. Teiko lay with her head on my chest, her eyes heavy with sleep. I curled my arm protectively over her, wanting to keep her close for as long as possible. She snored again, but I was too tired to care. I tumbled into unconsciousness not long after her.

My dreams were of fire. They began pleasantly enough, with a soft campfire, but escalated to a raging forest fire well beyond our ability to stop. I tried to use my quirk to alter the weather, but found it was entirely ineffective in the imaginary land.

When I awakened, the afternoon was nearly gone. "All Might," Teiko whispered. From her tone, it might not have been the first time. I smiled down at her, warmth flooding my chest as I looked at her disheveled hair and bare shoulders.

"Yes?"

"You grabbed onto me tightly. Were you having a bad dream?" I was touched that she cared and worried that I may have hurt her with my strength. My eyes scanned her shoulders for bruising.

"It was nothing." I assured her, loosening my grip. She crawled onto my chest, pulled free of the blanket, and straddled my hips. Her face was curious. I could see her warring with the instinct to ask more. She leaned in and butted her forehead against mine, then delivered another sweet kiss. "If you say so, I'll believe you." She drew off me and headed to the bathroom. I appreciated her from behind, my eyes roaming her figure without restraint.

"And just where do you think you're going?" I knew, but it was more fun to joke.

"Couldn't tell ya," she called back, rounding the corner to my bathroom. I heard the faucets shift and the shower pour water over her. I knew that a true hero would never let a woman shower alone, and was quick to hurry out of the tangle of bedding and join her.

We didn't sleep one more time, dried off, and she cooked a glorious dinner. I couldn't remember the last time I felt so full in both body and spirit. Perhaps it had been back in my days with Nana, though in an entirely different way. I looked at the suit that marked a change in her life and inspired quite the change in my own. The moment we were done eating, I wanted nothing more than to strip her and start again. Unfortunately for us both, she was more responsible than that. "I've got to go to work," she chuckled. Her hand nudged mine away from her chest and grabbed it in her significantly smaller grasp.

I couldn't help but feel like a boy who'd been given a new game. I wanted to explore all the levels. Some I wanted to revisit time and time again for the sheer satisfaction of doing them perfectly. She stared levelly at me, then offered a playful smirk. I wondered how someone could keep calm under so much change. "Good luck on your first shift."

"Thanks. Have a good sleep." I nodded, fully intending to. She walked out the door. I felt like she took a piece of me with her. Despite my body's wishes, I barely slept. The day dawned, but she didn't return. I longed to reach for my remote and have someone on the TV tell me where she was or why she hadn't returned, but knew it'd be useless. She had been firm on her refusal of televised cases. I felt a twinge of regret at that. I couldn't show her off. Barely anyone would know of Sandspark and her deeds.


	5. Chapter 5

Grim gave no sign that he knew Teiko and her team had returned. He gave me one of my highest profile cases yet and sent me on my way. "You have good instincts, keep using them." While it wasn't unheard of for him to give praise, I wondered about the meaning as I dispensed justice through the day.

The moment I was done and sure that the officers had things under control, I rushed home. It had been twelve hours since I left. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't for her to still be asleep. I was baffled when I saw Teiko still in bed, taking her sleep like a dehydrated man might gulp water. Did she feel unsafe in my home? Could she be having a bad dream? I removed my shoes and walked as quietly as I could to investigate. Her eyes darted beneath her eyelids and I could tell that her breath was coming in shallower gulps. A nightmare. Had the mission been too much? Did she refuse to speak out of fear and not professionalism?

I must have gotten too close. She sat up like someone had electrocuted her. In her left arm she had a ball of fire conjured. "Easy. It's just me," I said as I drew back. I could tell she wanted to be reassured. For a moment she looked at ease. I felt a glimmer of hope. All too soon, it was replaced with the uncertainty from last night. "I can order in dinner. What would you like?"

She looked towards the clock on my microwave, then to the window. I followed her glance. Six pm, on the dot. "Whoops." Only now did she realize how long she'd been asleep. "Not an omelet, then," she chuckled, the sound forced.

"If you want an omelet, you can have an omelet," I assured her. There was a stand just a few blocks away. "I'll get it." Having seen her appetite firsthand, I knew I'd probably need three or so for her. Though I had only just come home, I rushed right back out the door. I knew my actions made little sense. I felt Teiko and I walked on an edge. One wrong move could end us. We had a flimsy foundation and escalated too quickly. I could only see us ending in a disaster.

I selected three different omelets for her and two servings of omurice. If she wanted one, at least she had some diversity. Otherwise, they would both be for me. As an afterthought, I bought two beers. We both needed to unwind. Surely, these couldn't hurt. I turned the handle to the apartment, sure that I had left the door unlocked. The mechanism halted my attempt, telling me that she must have secured the door in my absence. "Teiko." I knocked gently on the door. "It's me. Let me in."

From inside my home, I heard her stand and walk across the room. It had taken a remarkably short time from her to change. Three weeks ago she had lived in the country with an open door and no neighbors for protection. Now she lived with a pro hero and had to shut herself in to feel safe. "Sorry," she said, letting the door fall open. "Occupational hazard." Her hair was damp and outfit had changed.

"Did you have a nice shower?" I slid my shoes off and set the deadbolt.

"I did. It was tricky to do with a cast, but I figured it out."

"That's good. Hopefully you won't have to get too much practice." I carried our food to the couch and set the bags and beer on the coffee table.

"Hopefully," she agreed, reaching for the alcohol at once. She sat down and waited for me before we dug in. Her responses were short, but I felt like her tone was warming up. I wanted to know how the mission had gone. I wished to probe into the life of an underground hero, but didn't want to make her retreat into herself again.

I turned on the TV as a buffer. We ate in a silence, caught somewhere between awkwardness and comfort. "You made the news," she remarked when my face flashed across the screen.

"Sure did. Grim seems more inclined to give me higher profile cases."

Teiko looked at me and smiled so warmly that I knew it to be genuine. "That's great. I know you'll prove him right." I felt warmth rekindle in me at the praise. I ate with renewed energy, secure that everything would be okay. I could have it all. Heroes only had to learn how to balance work with their personal lives, but I was a testament to how it could be done. It had only taken us a little while to figure it all out. I was glad I'd brought the beer, as it seemed to help her relax.

"Are we going to talk about your extreme dieting?" She questioned with a chuckle. Now that time had passed, she seemed able to accept some humor with the situation.

"That's what I looked like as a kid," I explained. "When I use my quirk I puff up."

"That's good enough for me," she assured me. "The more important question is what should I call you? Yagi or All Might?"

She was incredible. Not only did she accept me so easily, but she wanted to make sure she did it properly. I turned and held out my hand. "Hello, Todoroki Teiko. I'm Toshinori Yagi."

Her palm was swift to meet mine. "It's nice to meet you, Toshinori." While it wasn't my given name, it was far more personal than calling me by my hero name.

I waited, but neither of us let go. "So what's your professional identity?"

"Sandspark, like you suggested. It has a nice ring to it." I was flattered.

She seemed to consider her next words carefully. "Do you know what extents underground heroes go to so they can avoid the press?" At last! She was going to tell me about her mission. I sat a bit straighter, showing her she had my undivided attention, and immediately shook my head. I didn't dare say a word, for fear she'd change her mind. "Good. Keep it that way."

I couldn't tell if she was teasing me or not. I remained at attention, waiting for more details. "And?"

"I can see why Endeavor doesn't do it. He wants to be in the ranks. He hates the interviews, but at least he'll do cases they'll report on. Nobody wants to know what's really out there."

"Are you saying you want to switch to the day?" Could she stomach a microphone to get away from whatever horrors she'd seen?

She gently squeezed her hand in mine. "No way. Someone needs to face them." Even though one of her arms was broken, she still insisted on her track. She grabbed the boxes and used one hand to break them down for recycling. She leaned against the kitchen counter. "I got paid, so I can get out of your hair as soon as I find a place."

"Or you could save it," I suggested.

"I'm kind of sick of living out of a suitcase," she admitted with a tired chuckle. "I'd like to be able to get home, open a drawer, and see my things waiting for me."

"I have a drawer," I answered at once. I knew at once I'd spoken too soon.

"I need a dresser," she corrected with a laugh. "I need to get my own shampoo so I can stop smelling like a beefy American cowboy."

"That's rich, coming from the farmer," I taunted. She hadn't expected my wit, so I was pleased to hear a surprised chortle pass her lips.

She smirked and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah." I felt a thrill at my victory, certain that I wouldn't get too many against her. "I want a _bed_."

"You seemed to like mine fine enough."

"You're getting clingy, Toshinori." She tutted.

"And you're not saying no, Todoroki." I decided to add some logic in order to appeal to her. "I have a half empty closet, a bed big enough for three grown men-"

"Are you speaking from experience?"

I carried on, "and a home in walking distance to our agency." She seemed to run out of ways to tease me, but I was sure she'd find more.

Teiko walked out of the kitchen and moved to the bedroom. She sought to investigate each of my claims. I watched her peer through the ample walk-in storage, assess my large mattress, and lift her thumb, as if she was a painter gauging size. "I'm not going to be a freeloader."

"I know a few ways you could pay rent."

"Or a hooker." She said at once, which caused my face to flush. She put her left hand back down by her side. "After hearing about three men in your bed, I'm even not sure I'm your type." I swept her in my arms, intent on proving her wrong. "My arm's _broken_ , Toshinori," she chuckled. "I'm not cleared for any strenuous activity."

"So just lay there. I won't mind." I gently set her down.

"You're such a man." She huffed. While she meant her words as a light insult, I took them as a compliment.

"And I smell like one, too." I knew nothing was going to happen, but two weeks after that no-sleep night had me pawing at her. We were both riled up, but tired enough to sleep. Just before I could drift off, she walked back to the front room. I looked up in time to see her return with her phone. I watched her type away, supposedly texting someone. She met my inquiring eyes and flashed the screen at me.

"I'm just letting Enji know I'm okay. He was worried."

I couldn't comprehend their relationship. I sat up, a bit more alert. "He blew up your house."

"He made up for it by selling everything off while I was away."

" _He blew up your house_ ," I repeated, unsure if she heard. Had she suffered a brain injury?

Teiko laughed and slipped into bed. "I used to pummel him as a kid. He always started it, but I never held back. Mom and Dad saw it as 'training' and never stopped us. Not when I dislocated his shoulder, buried him into his neck in dirt, or set his toys on fire." She must have seen the look of shock on my face, for she explained. "Yeah, I was a bully. I didn't know any better. High school was a wakeup call." She skidded past that particular subject and circled back to Enji. "I've worked on improving our relationship, but that doesn't change the hell I put him through. So fine, he can blow up my house. Are you really complaining? If it weren't for him, you'd never have discovered boobs."

"I would have," I responded defensively.

"Porn doesn't count."

I knew she was right. Few women had the guts to put the first move on a pro hero. Fewer still could follow through. I'm certain that was the largest blush she ever got out of me.

"Good night, All Might." She slid under the covers, her sling already set on her nightstand from our earlier play.

"Sweet dreams, Sandspark." While it didn't flow as nicely as her statement, I liked it all the same.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter set in Teiko's point of view.**

I dreamed of the mission. Our first goal was to try to track down the missing women. As far as we knew, Shadowsnail couldn't manifest as a human. He operated in the ghettos, down where even security cameras didn't want to know what was happening in their maze of streets. We had our costumes, street clothes, and a special outfit designed somewhere between the two. In all of my outfits I had pebbles for ammunition. With my terrakinesis, I could use them as bullets without wasting the area around me. If I pulled some from a wet pack and applied a bit of fire, they were excellent miniature explosives.

I thought when I was a kid. Back when I could only control the earth with my feet and fire with my hands. My beloved parents fed me plenty of motivation to change. They put soaked mittens over my fingers and set my favorite toys on fire. Then they stuck me barefoot in the pit and told me to save whatever mattered to me.

They left me like that until they were satisfied with my progress. All of my stuffed animals had incinerated at once. I was so mad, but there was nothing I could do against them. I took all my anger out on Enji. Father told me he was a weakling. I had to make him tough. I went about it the only way I knew how, as per the example set by me. I set a spark in his room and told him to help himself.

We weren't allowed to eat until we proved ourselves, so I learned how to steal. I loved my brother and made sure he was fed. We spent more time fighting them than we did each other. With the common threat of their training looming over us, we occasionally banded together. We promised one another that if we ever had kids of our own, we would never make them fight. By the time we were teenagers, our habits were too slow to change. We accepted that we had too poor of communication skills to 'talk' any other way. So we continued to fight when words weren't enough.

The team consisted of a remarkably young intern called Eraserhead. It was the worst name I'd ever heard. Thankfully for all of us, his quirk was far more impressive. We spent the first week and a half gathering intel. We tracked where Shadowsnail went, warned off women from an accidental approach, and let men pass him. He didn't glance their way, not even when one accidentally walked through him.

"Maybe he has mommy issues," I suggested once we reached the hotel. I was ranked as an apprentice, Eraserhead as the first year high school student that thought he wanted to go to the underground, and the other two were the pros. I didn't mind the fact that I was the only girl, as it would keep Shadowsnail's attention in one place. The more obvious something is, the more easily it could be trapped.

"Who doesn't?" Eraserhead remarked on his short trek to his bed. I'd thought of him as lazy an unmotivated, but guessed his quirk took more from him than the rest of us. We had rented two rooms. This one was slightly more spacious, so it was our meeting hall.

Navy was our leader. He looked entirely average, like any Joe you'd pass on the street. His quirk was a water-shot as strong as a firehose or as weak as a trickle. Grim thought Navy could be a good mentor to me with his elemental abilities. Navy was also the reason I didn't want to wear my outfit. Since the underground heroes weren't in the spotlight as much, discipline was quite lax. He was lecherous, but a decent enough fellow to keep himself in check most of the time.

Our second in command was Rapport. His quirk was sympathy. Where Grim could read and put dark thoughts in others, Rapport could feel everything as those near him did. Their dead, fear, hopes, dreams, and even discomfort. He was a surprisingly heartless being, but I got it. After all day, every day, of feeling things that didn't belong to you, it was easier to be numb. I felt the most uncomfortable around him, as he could see right through me. He knew that I joked to keep everyone at arm's length, but said nothing. I'd learned that nobody liked a bully, but almost everyone could appreciate a good joke.

"Tomorrow we'll hit." Rapport sketched a map of the route on a sketchpad and pulled out colors.

"I want to be blue!" Navy declared. He grinned at me like I was supposed to be impressed. I'd kept myself stoic and detached, but he refused to take the hint.

"Fine," Rapport relented, switching from his black pencil to the color requested. He tapped the page. "Navy will be here. Sandspark goes there," he gestured to the alley directly across from Navy. We were to trap him with our elements. "Eraserhead will be here." Rapport tapped at a corner, which was supposed to represent the top of a building. "He'll do his thing," Eraserhead gave us a thumbs up to show he understood, only to drop his arm quickly back into his sleeping bag, "and we'll have Eraserhead out of Shadowsnail's vision if he sees you, Sandspark."

I nodded once. I felt content, so Rapport didn't question me. Rapport cleaned up and went to his single bed, just as tired as Eraserhead from our long day of nothing but sitting and staring. We all wanted to get the mission completed and get back home.

Navy and I were in the room next door. I'm sure Rapport could feel by hidden dread, but it was time to retire. I learned that just because someone was a hero didn't mean that they were decent human beings. I should have guessed as much from my family, but I'd hoped I was wrong. "Ladies first," the black haired fellow said to me, gesturing for me to enter. I fought against the shudder that crept along my back and opted for silence. I needed something to do, someone to call so I wouldn't have to talk to this creep.

Navy stepped in after me. I could practically feel his lust burning in the air. The simplest solution would have been castration, or beating him to a pulp, but he was one of Grim's favorites. I pulled out my newly acquired phone and dialed the only number I knew. I shoved the speaker against my face. It rang twice before he answered.

"Hello?" Endeavor's voice came through, loud and clear.

"Enji, it's Teiko." I moved to the bathroom for some privacy. I closed and locked the door. I wasn't terrified at what Navy wanted to do, but at what _I_ wanted to do to him. The handle jiggled experimentally.

"You have to come out sometime," Navy's voice purred on the other side. "Quit playing coy."

"Where have you been?" Enji asked at the same time. I focused on that. Fire sizzled in my free hand.

"I decided to become an underground hero," I informed him.

Endeavor snorted. "Did All Might not want to share his spotlight with you?"

"I figured I'd save us both the trouble of me stealing your spotlight, little brother." I could feel him fume on the other end. I quickly continued. "I'm on a mission and don't know when I'll get back to the city, so can you please sell everything for me? However much we get, we'll split it. I don't care what the will says, Mom and Dad have two kids. You're entitled to it."

"I am," he agreed with a sharp snort. I knew I had him hooked. "Fine. I'll do it."

I could tell he was ready to hang up. "Hey, Enji," I said quickly. He put the phone back to his face.

"Yes?"

"You're a better brother than I deserve."

"I know." Then he hung up. My moderate affection had been more than both of us could tolerate.

Speaking with my brother gave me strength. I released the lock and let Navy come in. "Are we to be taking a shower together, little Sparky? I love a girl that's wet."

I kneed him squarely between the legs. If he was insisting he use it, I could always put his manhood out of commission. "I have a light BDSM fetish. I hope that's not a deal breaker," I whispered in his ear. My anger and distain poured freely into every syllable. He dropped to the ground, his mouth open in a silent wheeze. "If that's not hint enough, I enjoy seeing the effects of fire on a dick. Come onto me again and we can experiment." I walked back to my bed, unsatisfied. I wanted nothing more than to do worse – to ruin him so completely that he'd never be physically able to take a woman again. I settled for the hard truth that doing so would make me a villain, and curled up to sleep.

We slept all day, ate some tasteless instant ramen, and went to our spots. Shadowsnail arrived just on time. He floated down the designated alley at the same painfully slow pace. We determined he must have terrible eye sight, for he didn't see me until he was ten feet from me. An excited hiss built in his throat. All at once, he moved like a blur. We had severely underestimated his speed. Eraserhead activated his quirk and our target slowed, but not by much.

I released my fire the same moment as Navy shot his water. The two collided in a boiling hot, steaming mess. Shadowsnail couldn't escape. His black flesh blistered and an unearthly shriek filled the hidden maze of stone. Unfortunately, the young intern blinked because of the steam. Shadowsnail put one hand around my throat, made us both incorporeal, and the world vanished. Something hit my head and I faded.

When I came to, I was uncomfortable. I was in a tub filled with water, my head held up by a strap that pulled at my neck. Every breath was a chore. My hands were tied behind my back and feet held down with a ball and chain that joined my ankles together. I was just grateful to still have my clothes.

"My my. Aren't you a looker!" A voice cooed from above. My eyes darted to find the source of the noise. A forty year old man sat in a chair. He had a thick, sturdy build and more hair than four people combined. When I looked at him, I couldn't help but think of bear. "If you can guess what my quirk is, I'll let you go. I've made this offer to all the others, but none of them had gotten it right."

I defaulted to a joke. "It can't be predictability, that's for sure." I thought this was the shadow that had taken me.

"Wrong!" He declared. "I told my servant to go on his route and bring me women. Do I look like my own servant to you?"

"I humbly apologize," I snorted dryly. He laughed in the background.

"What spirit," he sounded as if he admired me. "You're a fire user in water and still have such arrogance! Your hair...your eyes… Could you be related to Endeavor?" My brother had certainly begun to make a name for himself.

"But sir, I still haven't guessed your quirk." There was no point in losing my cool. I assumed not to expect backup. After I'd kneed him in the balls, I didn't imagine Navy was too inclined to search for me in case of kidnapping. As the group's leader, his word was law.

"Oh fine. It has everything to do with women. That's your last hint."

I put in some genuine effort, but couldn't focus with the damn strap half choking me. I dug my hands into the tub's base and scooted myself upwards to get some slack. "Uh… boob appreciation?"

This time, he laughed until he ran out of air. Tears streamed down his face and he clapped like a maniac. I had a feeling that I was looking at a man who had snapped.

"I have that in _droves_ , but that isn't my quirk." I didn't think he was going to introduce himself, so I decided to call him Bear. "Please tell me if you're related to Endeavor, Beautiful. I need to know so I can get you home."

His words were a sharp contrast to my current state of bondage. "Buy me dinner first. A lady doesn't talk about herself without proper incentive."

He lost his jovial nature at once. He pulled a knife from his belt and pointed it at my throat. " _Yes or no?!_ " Bear shrieked.

"No," I lied smoothly, inwardly terrified. Whatever was happening, there was no need to bring Enji in.

"There," Bear sighed, sliding his blade back into its sheath. "Since you failed, I'll be putting you to the test. I'm looking for a woman who can bear my children. For the longest time, I didn't know if I had a quirk. It was on a particularly lonely and experimental night that I discovered one of the most useless quirks in history. Explosive semen! With your fire capabilities, you just might be _the one_."

"I'm gay."

He chuckled. "Not tonight, you're not. Don't worry. Sometimes it detonates within minutes, sometimes it takes hours. Maybe your heat will provide a suitable stabilizer."

I felt like I knew why he left my clothes on. Bear was theatric. He wanted to captivate his audience and keep their attention on him. I saw him as a deprived maniac. Once I hadn't classified him as human, I had too little trouble in planning my next moves.

"Then let's give it a try. I can be a bit more enthusiastic if you take these –"

He slapped me before I could finish. "You are a _liar_!" He sobbed. I found his mood swings more tedious than frightening. He had a knife and explode-a-sperm. Neither were effective as long as I avoided penetration. Before he could draw his hand back, I blew fire from my mouth. The sling on my chin was incinerated. One obstacle down.

His skin blistered and smoked. I heard his terror. I _liked_ his terror. I shuddered. He may be the villain in the room, but I was the monster. Maybe I was as fucked up as my other underground heroes. I stood and wriggled my hands. Only rope held them together. I set them aflame easily enough. "Give me the key, please."

I was amazed when he did. "Don't hurt me again," he wailed, holding the simple iron shape before me. Had he robbed some medieval shop? This guy didn't belong in a prison. He needed a mental institution.

"I won't if you don't. Call your servant and let's get going." He surprised me again by listening and doing just that. I tried not to think that the blubbering bear beside me was responsible for every disappearance and death. The shadow seemed confused at seeing me. "We're just going to go for a walk," I explained to Shadowsnail. I took the key from Bear and drew my bound ankles from the chain. "Can you please take us back to where you got me?" I glanced at Bear. "How long have you had me?"

"A day," he answered, holding firmly to his obedience.

"How many hours?"

"Eight…?" He guessed.

My team would probably be asleep, but the motel wasn't too far of a walk. Both these men were simpletons who probably couldn't comprehend the gravity of the crimes they committed. For some reason, that made me feel even sicker. "Let's get going."

Shadowsnail looked at Bear, affirming one last time that they were going to listen. Bear nodded, and our world turned black. This time, I wasn't struck. I retained consciousness as we slipped back into reality. My stomach clenched and head whirred. I took a single step forward, my balance as disoriented as the rest of me. I put a hand to my head to try to stop the throbbing ache behind my temple. "Right," I muttered. I gestured to the left. "This way."

Our trip home went perfectly. They followed along like pups. Both seemed beside themselves that I told them I had no intention of taking them to jail. They thanked me and blessed the ground I walked on. We went straight to Eraserhead and Rapport's door. I knocked. "Get it," Rapport sleepily called from beyond. I heard Eraserhead groan and drop to the ground. Judging by the scuffle, he was still in his sleeping bag. I chuckled quietly when the well cocooned fellow pushed on the creaky hinges. He stared at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Could you two take care of these fine gentlemen?" I made sure to radiate a sense of urgency and pain to Rapport. The leader caught my drift and nearly flew out of bed. "You're alive?!" I wondered why they weren't out looking for me, but knew I may not want to hear the answer. They had thought me to be dead. There was no trail they could have followed. "Guilty as charged," I declared, emphasizing my exhaustion again.

"Right, we've got this. Go sleep."

I told Bear and Shadowsnail to follow instructions and headed to my room.

Navy jerked upright and stared at the entry. I made my way in and dropped down to my bed. "You're wet," he dumbly declared.

"Yep." I prayed he would leave it alone. I was naïve.

Navy rolled from his bed and came to mine. I'm guessing that the shadows that teleported us had some sort of melatonin in them, for I was fading fast. Navy grabbed my right hand and held it delicately in his grip. "I've been thinking about you," he said sweetly. I felt genuine terror as he looked at me. I began to summon fire to my call. He pinned my elbow against my ribcage and jerked. I felt and heard the snap of my bone. I wanted to scream. My body burned to express its pain, but I was frozen. Tears fell from the corners of my eyes.

"The shadow broke your arm in the fight. If you say anything different, I'll kill you."

There was a villain in the ring of heroes. I faded into an abyss of blackness.

Apparently, Rapport and Eraserhead came in just the nick of time. We reported Navy to Grim as soon as we got back. While Grim didn't believe me, he did believe Eraserhead and Rapport's witness reports. Bear and Shadowsnail were successfully taken into custody. Navy was sentenced to three months of supervision.


	7. Chapter 7

Though I'd fallen asleep as All Might, I awakened in my true body. I didn't want to test whatever we had too much, so was quick to inflate. I looked at Teiko, surprised to find that she hadn't moved an inch. She slept stick straight, as if one wrong move would have her falling out of the bed. Not surprisingly, her face was caught in a grimace of pain. I remembered her bag and left the room to check for any pills. Surely they had given her something. I moved quietly and walked to the partially ajar door. My hands shifted it open just enough to let me through without spilling light on her face. I looked through her suitcase to find the usual hero gear. A utility belt, extra shoes, clothes, I slowed and made a conscious effort not to touch her underwear. If she were to walk out, I didn't want to have to give any awkward explanations.

I found the bright orange prescription bottle, grabbed a glass full of water, and brought them to the room. At the very same moment that I set them down, her phone vibrated twice. A text notification showed on her screen. I was far too curious for my own good, so I looked.

 **Todoroki Enji**

 **You'll regret it.**

What would she regret? I didn't see myself as a snoop, but I felt an undeniable urge to read through their text messages. Were they talking about me? My finger hovered over the screen. Should I? Would she lose her trust in me? My good sense beat down my inquisitive nature. I set down my offering of pain killers, proud of the minor victory. I glanced towards her and paled.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked, her face read wary amusement.

"How long have you been awake?" I countered sheepishly. I felt like a kid with my hand in the cookie jar.

"You can read my texts. I'm not apologizing for my browser history."

"What did you look up?" I didn't even think. Her phone went from the table into my grip practically of its own accord. I was instructed on the ways of her lock screen. Just like that, she had let me into a bigger part of her world. To reciprocate, I showed her how to activate my device. She laughed and shook her head. "If I ever want to know what you're doing, I can flip to just about any channel. This is your only in, so pry to your heart's content."

I studied her tired face. Judging by the purple shadows beneath her eyes, she hadn't slept well. "Is that your way of saying you don't want to talk about it?" I felt disappointed, but understood. Everything was new and if I believed her assessment of the underground, she was facing a different caliber of villain. I considered bringing up All For One.

"You're so bright and shiny. I don't want to ruin you with scary stories."

"Are you trying to protect me?" I sought to confirm.

"Yes."

"You've been a hero for two weeks! I've been doing this for years."

"I'm only a hero because you made my brother destroy my house." She taunted me. I knew she didn't really blame that on me. Or I hoped.

I had no counter, but a breathless chuckle managed to puff from my mouth. I had to reopen her phone to get started. I looked first at the texts. They spanned over the past two weeks. All but one were to Endeavor, with the sole outlier as a message to Grim. I read the one to him first. She sent: **Prepare a psych ward.** I wanted to know for who, and why.

I tapped until I was in her and Endeavor's conversation. First they commented on the change in professions. **It was just time.** She had answered. I was glad she was infuriatingly vague to everyone. In their most recent correspondence, he had asked what she wanted sold at the farm. She said everything. Then his newest response. **You'll regret it.** How anticlimactic. I glanced at her, but she pretended not to notice. She took a pull of water with two small white tablets. Her search history showed her home address, which was listed for sale. There was nothing else. No applications, not even games to pass the time. As a last resort, I checked the calls. All of them were to Endeavor, but none lasted more than five minutes. I felt foolish and frustrated. Of course it wouldn't be that easy to know her. If I really wanted to see into a hero's heart, I'd have to check her utility belt.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" She chuckled, already knowing that I didn't. "I'm sad to say that we can't all be as fun as you, Toshinori. I pale in comparison."

"I want to go with you next time." I couldn't believe things were as bad as she said. Reports claimed that crime was decreasing.

"Tell Grim, he's the boss." I like that she doesn't dismiss the idea. I hand her phone back to her. She takes the time to unlock it, open her messages, and send a text back to Endeavor. I looked her shoulder to read. **That's my problem, not yours. See you after work.**

 **No work today. We're getting this shit done. Today.**

His immediate reply put a smile on her face. "I can't imagine why he likes the place," she laughed. I furrowed my brow and stared down at the screen. Had I missed something? She caught my confusion and explained. "If he doesn't want to do something, he'll get it out of the way as soon as possible. That means he doesn't want to sell the place where we grew up." She slid out of bed, dressed in only an undershirt and underwear. Both were white and bordered on transparent, so of course I stared.

Even though he was her brother, Endeavor didn't shy to hit a woman. The hero in me refused to let her go alone, especially with a broken arm. "It's my day off, too." I'd use a vacation day. "I'd like to come see it one last time."

"I don't see why not. Get dressed in something you won't mind getting dirty. We're going to clear the fields." I went to my closet and chose my casual cowboy attire. White shirt. Green cargo pants. I didn't need anything more than that on the warm autumn day. I stepped out to the main room and saw her struggling with her bra. I'd never put one on before, but decided to offer my services.

"Let me," I suggested. She let her hands fall. I put my normally fingers to what should have been an easy task. I manipulated the hooks and clasps, only to fail. My brow furrowed and I felt my brows lower with determination. "Is this a trick?" I asked as I began my second attempt. One snagged into its bracket, but the two below it missed. "What on earth?" It took me eight tries to get the most evil contraption in the world as it should be.

"Thanks," she declared with muted laughter.

"You're injured. Beggars can't be choosers."

"Are you teasing a gimp?" She gasped. "How unheroic."

"Quiet, I'm concentrating."

"Are you _oppressing_ the gimp? What a scandal!"

I grinned and said words that I never thought I'd say to a beautiful woman. "Put your clothes on."

"If you insist." She chose a somewhat loose green T-shirt and her black shorts from before. She put on a pair of leather boots that could be used for work or hiking, but definitely not in the city. We ate and arrived at the station just in time for the noon train. Luck must not have been on my side, because Endeavor was there waiting. Ah fuck. The young man glowered and looked over my outfit. He wore a black T-shirt, jeans, and the male version of Teiko's shoes.

"What's with the extra?" He greeted. Oh great. It was going to be one of those days.

"We're living together." She explained. In my opinion, it was the dumbest thing she could have said. Was she trying to get him to hate me?

A vein bulged on his forehead. His folded arms dropped to his side, his hams of hands curled into fists. " _What_?" His word was a challenge. His cold eyes darted between the two of us. "With _him_? For how long?" Enji clung to every reason to hate me.

I could feel the stares of people around us. Endeavor and I had amassed enough popularity that we were becoming more recognizable every day. I kept my smile on and muttered quietly, "why don't we talk once we get there?" I made a point of sweeping my gaze around us to show the crowd.

The train pulled to the station and I prayed we'd have a few seats. The only thing worse than being on a train with Endeavor was being on one with him _and_ his sister. We stepped from the platform and I blessed our luck. There was a space open, just large enough for one of us and her to sit. Teiko filed on and sat, as expected. Then came the awkward indecisiveness between the heroes. "Go on and take it," I said, trying to be a gentleman.

"Why? Are you too good to sit next to my sister?"

I felt the eyes of watchers on us again. Somebody pulled out their phone, as if they expected a fight. "It's just that you haven't seen her in a while-" I began.

"And whose fault is that?"

"Yours, diphead. You blew up my house," Teiko interjected. When it became clear that we couldn't choose, she took over. She pointed at Enji. "Sit down." He stayed standing. She gestured to the amateur filmer and spoke directly at him. "When Endeavor was a baby he couldn't sleep without his-" Like magic, he was in his seat.

The eavesdroppers put their phones away, clearly disappointed. None of them had the brass to ask Teiko to finish her statement.

Our ride was long and uncomfortable. Endeavor kept me firmly in his glower, as if I might run off and commit some scandal with Teiko right there on the train. When we reached our stop, he stubbornly got off last, probably to keep us both in his sight. The moment the train rushed out of sight, he exploded. A fireball shot at me and I narrowly avoided getting burnt with a reflexive dodge.

"Hey! Do it on the fields. The grass is looking good." She ordered.

I used my speed to rush over to our _proper_ arena, while Enji threw more flames in my general direction. Sparks caught some deadened cornstalks and began to set the immediate landscape ablaze. "Todoroki, listen-" I began, even though I had no idea what to say next. He used his fire to jet towards me. Once he had the desired momentum, his right arm pulled back. I knew he prepared for a punch. I leaned on the balls of my feet and rocketed forward. My speed was greater than his. I coiled for a matching attack. Our fists collided and powerful gusts of wind blew out his fires. He stumbled backwards, hatred burning in his eyes. He charged again, thinking he'd found an opening in my defenses. My arms crossed together to block him. I didn't even strain against his strength.

Our eyes met. I saw him realize that he didn't have a chance against me. He could come at me full tilt and I wouldn't even break a sweat. What's worse was that he believed I'd stolen his sister. For years he'd tried to get her to become a pro hero. It had taken me a night. Whether I liked it or not, I was stuck as a scapegoat for his fury. "Are you done?" My patience had waned. There no cameras in my face, only two angry gingers in the middle of nowhere.

He glowered, but drew away. He turned towards the house and blast a fireball at the collapsing structure. Teiko stood with her hands on her hips. Neither of them appeared particularly distraught. If anything, they seemed satisfied with the destruction. "We should have destroyed this shithole years ago." Endeavor grunted.

"I was a misguided farmer." Teiko shrugged and began to till the fields. What might have taken a tractor hours or a horse days only lasted minutes. All of the ground swallowed and buried the remaining vegetation. Once she was done, it was perfectly uprooted to a blank slate. "There. Now anything could have been here."

"It's going up for auction tonight." Endeavor told her. "I'm going to give the Yuris all of our equipment."

"Good. They need it."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Rei's family has old machines and doesn't have the time or know-how to fix them up. Ours were new. I bet they would have given anything for them." I didn't know how literally Endeavor took his sister's words.

Once the house was safely burnt to the ground and their one family heirloom destroyed did the siblings head back to the train platform. "I'll wait here and auction the land. You can catch the next train and get back to town." He looked at her cast. "How'd it happen?"

"Bar fight," she answered at once.

"How else?" He countered. I kept quiet. Maybe he could get the truth out of her, where I had failed.

"Mauled by a mountain lion?"

"You're a shit liar." Endeavor sat on the cement step.

"And you're a shit brother, but I forgive you."

A knowing glance passed between them. They both grinned, which quickly escalated to quiet laughter. I knew I missed some private joke. I also knew that asking would ruin the moment. Enough tension left for Teiko to give a pitifully small portion of the story. "A guy snapped my arm."

"Why?"

"I kneed him in the nuts."

Now it was my turn. "What?" I was so surprised that I laughed. Endeavor glared at me, but I didn't care.

"He wanted something that was mine." She answered to me and then turned to Endeavor. "The coward waited until I was sleeping to attack."

"Fucking coward," he grumbled. "Did you get him back?"

"Yup."

"Is he still alive?"

"Yeah, it was too much paperwork." I sincerely hoped she was joking. Not one of her answers had done anything to appease my curiosity. I would definitely speak to Grim about getting put on the next case with Teiko. "Did you ever give any thought to being an underground hero, Enji?"

"Never. My goal is to be the top hero." He glared at me, as if I'd personally stolen the opportunity. I was saved by a train's whistle. Endeavor stood, his cold eyes not leaving me. "If you do _anything_ to hurt my sister, you have to answer to me." He stared at me until he was satisfied that the point had been crystal clear. Once he was satisfied, he took a step closer to Teiko. "As soon as you get tired of him, call me. We'll get you a place of your own."

She lifted her hand and ruffled his hair. "Thanks kid, I'll keep that in mind."


	8. Chapter 8

"I want to do an underground hero mission." I said as I closed the door.

Grim looked confused. "Isn't your whole thing about being a symbol? You don't get publicity down there. It'd hamper your goal."

"If things are as bad as I've heard, I want to see it. Crime rates are supposed to be dropped, but apparently they're just hiding better."

Grim let out a soft curse. "Fuck. She told you about that?"

I had no idea what he could be referencing. I decided to hedge for more information. "Which part?"

John looked into my eyes and read the fears behind my grin. He knew I didn't want to send Teiko alone again. I envisioned her coming home with a bigger cast, worse, leaving and never coming back. My employer took his hands off his laptop and frowned severely at me. "Damn it, All Might. Why'd you go and get so attached. Romance and hero work never work out."

I wanted him to move her to normal status, but knew to do so would invoke her wrath. "Just one," I pressed.

Grim stared at me and measured my resolve. I saw him weigh the pros and cons, but he relented. "Just one," he agreed. "When does the doctor say she'll be ready for combat?"

"In a month, but if we see Recovery Girl, it could be as soon as tomorrow."

Grim looked down at his monitor. "Give me three days." He muttered, his hand moving to his mouse. "I don't know what she told you, All Might, but I'll keep her and Navy apart."

Was I supposed to know who that was? "Thanks." I felt dishonest, but figured it was better than admitting ignorance and looking like a total fool. My first guess was that she and Navy had some sort of altercation. If Grim had to manage them, he must be another underground hero. I turned and excused myself, all the while wondering what could have happened.

I roamed the halls and looked at faces. If there was someone that I didn't know, I asked them. "Have you seen Navy?" Most had no clue, but one high school aged boy with frizzy black hair was able to help.

"He's down in the tech department," the boy answered. The statement must have tired him, for he yawned immediately afterwards.

"Thank you," I said at once. I spun on my heel and headed back to the stairs. The elevator was too slow. Now that I knew my search was near its end. I ran. My quirk allowed me to navigate with ease, even as I flew by quickly enough to make a tornado of debris in my wake. Within seconds I was at the Technology Department. I punched in my code and was admitted at once.

One of the technicians was busy with a dark haired, slender man in the back of the room, but the other was available. "Hey, All Might," she greeted. She had wild pink hair that stood out at every angle and some sort of battery quirk.

I waved and flashed her a rather cheery grin. "Hello, Samara. I need to have a word with Navy." The dark haired man in the back stopped talking and looked up at me. I lifted my hand and beckoned for him to join me. "Could we have the room for a minute?" I couldn't imagine what had happened between Teiko and another hero, but I felt like it shouldn't be broadcasted to our support team.

"Sure, All Might. Take all the time you need," Samara agreed at once. She nodded to her underling and both cleared the room.

I waited until we were alone. I beamed at Navy and looked him over. "I hear you were a part of Sandspark's team," I began. Quick as a flash, his face slipped from curiosity to anger. "Do you want to talk about it?" I had my suspicions, but wanted him to confirm them.

"I don't care what you heard. _She_ came onto _me_. She's a slut, just like every other female hero." I might have considered believing him, but his blanket statement and instinct to lump all heroines together severely diminished his credibility. Even if I didn't know Teiko as well as I'd have liked, I trusted her more than that.

"Why don't you start from the top?" I suggested. If I wanted to know his twisted point of view, I had to pretend to sound sympathetic.

He readily launched into his tale. "We were stationed to find a kidnapper and murderer. We made sure to get the proper intel, but it can get boring. I started to notice that every time I'd look at her she'd blush and look away. We shared a room and she teased me by going in the bathroom every time she wanted to get changed. I know she did it on purpose. Just to put thoughts in my head. I told her I could only take so much. She came in close, then the bitch kneed me in the jewels for no goddamn reason."

"So you broke her arm?" I guessed. I wanted nothing more than to punch this guy until his face broke.

"No. That happened after she brought back the rapist and kidnapper."

"The…" I found I couldn't pretend to know. "What?"

"She got abducted. There was no trail to follow, so I ordered the team back to bed. We were sound asleep when she stumbled to our door with our initial target and a man that looked like a bear. She was favoring her arm then, but Eraserhead and Rapport didn't see it. The two of them took the guys into custody and the bitch went to bed. She stopped breathing, so I was trying to give her CPR. Eraserhead and Rapport came in and shoved me away for trying to save her worthless life." He sounded infuriated and defensive.

"Your comrade went missing, so you decided to go sleep?" I asked in a quiet voice. I could feel myself losing my cool. The grin almost slipped from my face.

"There was nothing for us to do. The Shadowsnail took her. She was gone for hours, but she found her way back. No harm was done."

"Did you even try?"

"Why bother? She didn't help make any plans. All she did was sit quietly and lead me on. Now I have to be babysat for the next three months because of her lies."

I was seething. My face felt ready to split at the seams. "Thank you for telling me." I made myself leave. It took every ounce of my self-restraint not to deck him. Everything he described were things I _needed_ to hear from her point of view.

I went out into the world without an assignment. I hoped that today I'd be lucky enough to find an idiotic criminal in need of a good pummeling.

I had my answer at once. "Shit, it's All Might," one of them proclaimed rather loudly as they thundered past in a cherry red corvette. The trio of idiots had ATM in the back seat. No cover, no trunk. It just sat in the back. I couldn't imagine how they'd gotten it from the wall, but figured it was moot point. I may have thought it a trap, but I'd seen such fools before. The driver, an incredibly skinny man that looked to be in his thirties, slammed on the gas pedal and rolled more swiftly away. The acrid tang of burning rubber burned my nostrils. Smoke lifted in their wake. They zoomed off into traffic, uncaring of the pedestrians or other cars. I leaped into action. I couldn't just case them. I had to take the time to pull a teen with earbuds out of the way and carefully relocate a woman. It was only when the path was clear that I could focus on the crimson getaway car.

I jumped in front of them and dug my hands onto the hood. I had to be careful not to put too much weight on my feet, or else it'd rip apart the bottom of my shoes or damage the asphalt. Once able to secure my balance, I shoved a fist straight into the engine – just enough for the wind to take over and rather explosively finish the job. The blonde haired woman in the back seat screamed and only now snapped her seatbelt into place. Of all the things to forget….

Even as I turned them over to the police, the skinny man, blonde woman, and quickless teen hacker insisted to me that I was making a mistake. "You don't get it All Might. We're the _good_ guys. I'm Lock Pick," he spoke as if I should know of him. I found his ego grating, but kept smiling heroically.

"And why would good guys need to take an ATM?" I asked. "Theft doesn't seem particularly heroic."

"Matrix found a message in a chat that said if the public didn't deliver money to Honey Badger that we'd face backed up sewer lines, internet outages, and city wide chaos." That's all it took huh? No internet access and backed up toilets?

"I thank you for your efforts," where the hell did they come up with these names? "But let the pros take it from here."

I kept the information in the back of my mind, but didn't think to do anything about Honey Badger, whoever that might be, right at that time. I wanted to get home.

Teiko seemed incapable of sitting still. I unlocked the door and had only gotten one step in the apartment when she called, "wet floor!" I automatically looked down to see just how bad the damage was. I only saw a thin sheen of swiftly drying droplets.

"Did a pipe burst?" I smelled the cleaning chemicals. "Oh." Her only answer was a silent smirk. I put my shoes by the welcome mat and jumped to the couch across the room. Once I had landed, I turned and dropped into a crouch. If she was anything like Nana, a footprint on a newly cleaned floor was a sin punishable by death. The place looked nice. All of my hoarded crumbs had vanished, as had the thick blankets of dust. It had looked the part of a proper bachelor pad, until I'd let a woman move in. Now it was tidy, organized, and an improper home for a single man.

"I spoke with Navy." I said, my eyes watching her for any sort of reaction.

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't for her to act so indifferent. "How's he doing?" She asked casually. From the details I assumed, shouldn't his name make her outraged or scared? She seemed perfectly at ease.

"He said you came onto him."

"I bet he did," she agreed with a laugh. She was on her hand and knees, and used a rag to get into every corner of my messy abode. I was relieved that her right arm was properly tucked in its sling. Her words were distracted, as if our chat didn't warrant her full attention. I sought to amend that.

"Teiko," I spoke sharper than I meant to. I let some of my anger add fuel to my voice. She slowly folded the wad of cloth and turned to face me. I had no idea what she was thinking, but hoped to right my ignorance sooner rather than later. "Did you come onto him?"

"No," she answered firmly. I was glad she was taking this seriously.

"Will you please tell me about your mission?"

Her vibrant gaze left mine. I was sure she wouldn't tell me. I didn't know what I'd do if she kept quiet. "Please," I encouraged. I had to coax this out of her. She looked back, a new resolve on her face.

"We had a kid quirk eraser, a sympathist, and water user – Navy. We made sure to have a good idea of Shadowsnail's actions before we attacked. His habits were set in stone, so we set up a simple plan. We put the eraser behind him and me in front as the bait. Shadowsnail rushed me, as we predicted, and Navy and I attacked. We used too much power, and I guess the steam must have broken our eraser's concentration. Shadowsnail got me and took me to his master. I convinced them both that cooperation would be in their best interest. We went back. I went to my bed and passed out."

"What about Navy?" I encouraged. This time, it took her longer. I couldn't comprehend how she had talked people into custody, but trusted her enough to believe her.  
"During the course of the two weeks, Navy was our leader. He wanted me, but I made it perfectly clear that I didn't want him. He let me get taken and didn't try to track me down afterwards. When I got back to the motel I was dead on my feet had two options. Pass out on the floor or on my bed, so I picked the latter. Navy claimed I stopped breathing and that he needed to give me CPR. The others seemed to think it was unnecessary, because they felt inclined to push him away and put him in cuffs."

Even with what she had told me, I didn't feel satisfied. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I didn't tell anyone but Grim anything. If I was wrong and really had stopped breathing, then he saved my life. If not and he was going for something more, he didn't get it and I don't have a shred of evidence."

I wasn't grinning. I felt the severity of my frown burning my face. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on."

"I'm not used to asking for help," she admitted. I had already deduced as much. "In this case, I didn't realize there was anything to help with. I told my story to Grim, Eraserhead and Rapport did the same, and Navy's on suspension."

"He should be in prison."

"If you really want that, then set a trap. Put a camera on a beautiful woman and send them his way. I'm certain he won't come at me again."

"He broke your arm." She hadn't confirmed it, but I felt like I knew.

"He took the cowardly way out and waited until I was unable to do anything about it." She begun to lose her seriousness and was interjecting humor again. Though I wasn't done, I was glad for what sincerity I was given. "I gave it some thought today, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to go public."


	9. Chapter 9

First I was stunned. This gave way to fear, but quickly escalated into excitement. "If I stick around you, I'm bound to be in the spotlight. I might as well provide information on my own terms, and I'd rather risk Enji's wrath than keep getting asked if I'm 'Endeavor's sister'."

"I know a place where you could make a mock introduction and get your arm fixed."

"Sounds like a one stop shop," she chuckled. "And exactly where's this?"

"We're going to UA. Recovery Girl can heal you and you can practice your interviewing skills with a pile of overanxious students."

"That sounds like hell." I couldn't fault her honesty. "I'll go to get my bone mended. As for the rest of it...we'll see."

We didn't take the train. Neither of us felt like another episode with a cameraphone quite yet. I'd had enough to public transportation and finally put my foot down. We flew to the academy. Judging by the single armed death grip around my neck, I'd finally discovered a fear of hers. My severe landing was enough to knock the wind out people under ordinary circumstances. Teiko had a silent look of agony creased on her face. "Are you alright?" I asked cautiously. We had settled outside the gates and waited to be let in. Fortunately, there were no paparazzi lingering.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she responded stiffly. I set her down just as the intercom began to blast.

"Yoooooooo!" Resident Mic's voice boomed over the speakers. I smirked privately when Teiko startled like a deer. "Wha'chu up to, All Might-o?"

"My friend and I want to meet with Recovery Girl," I explained.

"Tune on in!" He declared. There was a buzz, and the gates opened to admit us. We walked side by side past the privacy fence and to the sidewalk beyond. She looked around with the same interest as every first-timer. I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride of my old high school, which looked as pristine as always. "Back there is where we have training fields and students take examinations," I explained, gesturing to the place as I described it. She followed my gesturing finger and nodded. Even if she wanted to talk, I was in full narration mode. While aware of this, I couldn't bring myself to stop.

I chattered all the way up the stairs, an excited boy once more. I hadn't been here since before my years in America. "Is that you, All Might?" Recovery Girl asked, her once black hair more heavily streaked with grey since the last time I'd seen her.

"It's me," I confirmed. "Long time no see. I was wondering if you could help fix my friend's arm. We have a job to do, but can only move forward when she's healed."

I didn't miss her questioning stare. Oops. I hadn't told her that I spoke with Grim. She kept her emotions in check and regarded the heroine. "Todoroki Teiko," she declared with a respectful bow.

"If you have a job to do, girlie, then shouldn't you be using your hero name?"

"I guess." Her uncertainty was odd, yet refreshing compared to the arrogance she dished out at home. "Sandspark, then."

"Come here, Sandspark. Let me give you a kiss!" Recovery Girl declared. Her lips puckered and little feet scuttled forward.

"What? No! What are you doing?"

"Just hold still." Recovery Girl swooped to the tips of her toes and gave Teiko a wet kiss on the cheek. The red-head was stiff as a board and pale faced from the unexpected affection. The school nurse shuffled back to her chair and took a seat. "There you go. All fixed up!"

Teiko slowly peered down at her arm. She used her hand to spark a fire on the cast and watched with obvious satisfaction as it peeled harmlessly away. "Well look at that," she muttered. "Thanks."

"It's no problem, sweetie."

She got suited up and looked just as stunning as I remember. The dark grey metal on her bracers and shoes mixed with the burgundy of the synthetic material heavily implied at her fire abilities. For the first bit of her career, she'd be able to take everyone by surprise with her earth. Teiko snapped her black utility belt in place. "What do you have in there?" I asked.

"My rock collection," she answered. I leaned over and unzipped one of the pouches.

"Wow, you were serious." She snickered. We both wished Recovery Girl well and went on our way. Every student we passed stared. Some stopped to gawk. While their attention was mostly on me, more than a few inquisitive minds honed in on woman at my side.

"I know that's All Might, but who's that?"

"I've never seen her before."

"Holy crap, guys. It's All Might!"

"Did he get a new suit?"

It was easier not to respond. I walked through the crowd with a smile. I cast a sidelong glance to see how my companion was faring. She looked impassive and distant. I felt the urge to press her cheeks up and make her do _something_ with her face. One on one she was fine, but put her in a crowd…

"I think I saw a video with her in it. All Might and Endeavor were on a train with her yesterday."

"Is she a sidekick?"

I had no idea what was going on in her mind, but I was worried. Somehow, I had to show her the spotlight wasn't everything she feared it'd be. Surely, it better to ask forgiveness than permission. Classes had just ended for lunch. "If anyone wants to come to the practice field, my friend and I will give you a demonstration." I felt refreshed by the young students' collective gasp of excitement. Most rushed to the training grounds right then and there. We paused to let them go. I chanced a glance to see how Teiko would handle it.

I swear I saw Endeavor's glare on her face. Even as someone who faced death on a near-daily basis, there was something especially terrifying about a woman's wrath. "Is your costume fireproof, or do I need to aim for your face?" I had backed myself into a corner. To not show up would disappoint my fans.

"A hero always keeps his promises," I said to her in a louder voice, as there were still children watching. "But my suit is water proof, fireproof, and breathable." I sounded like a comic strip.

"Why do I hang out with you?" She muttered, as if there was nothing more than casual friendship between us. I figured she was playing it cool for the kids.

Word spread like wildfire and every student at UA was waiting for us, along with half the faculty. The lawn was crowded enough that I decided it best to take flight over the congested field. I landed heroically on at the front and struck a pose. As expected, a cheer rose out among my fans. Teiko refused a dramatic entrance. She walked the long away around the bodies and stood by the edge of the chalked off zone. "Today Sandspark will show you how to try to take down an opponent bigger than you. It's not all about power and strength, but focusing on precise poi-" She didn't even let me finish! A rock struck my head with enough force to make my ears ring. Some of the watchers chuckled. I opened my mouth to reprimand her, but two more projectiles hit the backs of my knees. More laughter followed. I blessed the few students that felt outraged for me. While I didn't go crashing down, my legs felt surprisingly weak, as if she'd hit pressure points. While I was stunned, quicksand gurgled at my feet and began to pull me down.

I jumped away before it could fully engulf me. I had been too busy being assaulted to keep track of her. Now that I looked, Teiko stood on a chunk of sod like it was a flying carpet. She hopped off and let it drop over me like it was a net. Just before it could land, I punched upwards and blew it to smithereens. While I focused on the one obstacle, she blasted fire at me. I ducked and swept out my legs, knocking her to the ground. Even as she fell, jets of flame jutted from the soles of her boots. While it wasn't the most masculine way to get the job done, I back handed the embers away. She was out of momentum. She had to land. I turned to prepare.

More grass tore up from the ground and caught her in a cushion. I was amazed it didn't tear, but suspected she put quite a bit of concentration into the dirt. I noted how her terrakinesis and pyrokinesis were a switch. She could use one or the other, never both. While she was busy catching herself, I lunged forward and grappled her to the earth. In hindsight, I wasn't thinking.

Quicksand sucked us both underground - her entirely, and me only up to my thighs and elbows.. I kept her grip on her and waited for the inevitable stop. As expected, she ceased in burying us. No matter her abilities, she still had to breathe. I felt intense heat burn in my chest. I took the warning and released my hold. She shot out of the pit like a bullet. I could have kept going, I'll admit to being quite curious about her full fighting potential, but the crowd cheered. They'd already accepted I was the loser, she the winner.

A lad stood with his phone out. "That was amazing!" he praised, the adoration in his eyes for the both of us. I pulled out from the trap with a series of itches on my limb. As soon as I got home, I'd give my suit a thorough shaking to get all the sand out.

"Are you related to Endeavor?" A bold girl asked.

I could tell Teiko didn't know what to say or do. I had pulled her too far from her comfort zone.

"You're asking the wrong questions," I declared as I stepped forward. "It's not about who she's related to, but how to use your quirk in the best possible way."

The boy filming pressed on. "Do you have _two_ quirks?"

The questions were simple enough, but I could see her grappling to find the right response. My instinct was to save her, but I kept back. More of the students stood and swarmed her. It was time that I let her sink or swim.

"Yeah, I've got two, and I'm Endeavor's older sister." She looked like a cornered animal, but was trying.

"Did you go to school here, too?"

"How come I don't know you?"

" _Two_ quirks?!"

"Are you mean, too?"

Teiko made the rookie mistake of trying to look at each commenter in turn. I could only imagine how dizzy she got. She pivoted and turned at the last speaker. The look she gave him was the angry Todoroki glare that I'd come to know well. She leaned down and all inquiries ceased in a hush of anticipation. "What do you think?" Her answer was flat and unheroic. I thought she was going to punch the kid in the face.

I laughed as loudly as I could and strolled over to her side. I put a hand on my shoulder and patted her sternly. While my gesture appeared fatherly and kind, I'm sure she got the memo for a ceasefire. "She's a real jokester, this one." I declared with a smile. I aimed to capture as many children in my gaze as I could. Maybe if I got them dazed enough, they'd accept my point of view. I felt her sigh beneath my grip. She knew she'd failed the moment I stepped in as a buffer. "Who wants an autograph?"

I spent the better part of twenty minutes signing everything shoved at me, though I did refuse to write on something that was either a dog's chew toy or object for personal pleasure. I wrote on that kid's forehead, mostly because I didn't want to touch anything they could peel from their bag. Teiko told the children that she wouldn't sign anything until after her first successful mission. She said she wanted to earn the right.

We left UA the same way we came, by flight. Teiko made sure to puzzle the pieces of lawn back together and collected a few dozen fist sized rocks for her ride. She molded them together into a single platform and rode the disk by my side.

I steered us not to home, but the agency. I wanted her to set her change of heart in stone before she could change her mind again. "Yagi," she grumbled. I turned my head and grinned.

"You said you were going to go public. I need it on paper before I can believe you."


	10. Chapter 10

"We'll have to prep a photo shoot!" Grim was walking on cloud nine. "And we have to update your costume."

"I got it less than three weeks ago," she declared, her lips caught in a heavy frown. I kept waiting for her to declare that she'd had enough, but she seemed as good as her word.

"It looks too dark and dreary. You're not someone sneaking around in the shadows anymore. Besides, it makes you look like a serial killer." Grim definitely had a point. Looking at her in those dark tones, the word 'hero' didn't come to mind. "You can keep it and label it as your first suit. When you die, collectors will go crazy for that sort of thing. Hmm." He turned his laptop and took a picture of her. "Alright, go home. I'm sending your costume to the design department now. This one will be ready in two days."

"My last one only took one."

"And I just said your last one made you look like a murderer. Nicer things take more time." His tone was impatient, as if sick of stating the obvious. "I know you requested an underground mission, All Might, but I think this is the perfect debut for Sandspark." He cleared his throat softly. "A villain named Honey Badger supposedly ordered people on a chatroom to pay him or else he-"

"Or else he'd back up sewers and break the internet to insight a riot. That's what one of those kids who stole an ATM told me." I finished.

Grim nodded. "According to the database, his quirk is discord. That doesn't give us much to go on, I know, but it's all we have." He clicked his mouse and I heard the familiar sounds of mine and Teiko's spar playing over the speakers. "Endeavor's agency sent over a request. He wants to partner up with you for your debut. It can help _all_ of you." I couldn't tell whether or not he was giving us an option, but it didn't matter. I knew he was right. "I want you two to get a lay of the land… here." He beckoned us to his side of the desk and pointed at a map located deep in an area of the city stricken with poverty. "For three clean cut high school students to commit grand theft makes me think this will be quite the mission for you three. I have their hacker collecting as much data as he can. I'll forward everything as I get it, but don't hold your breath. All he's done is make threats so far. He hasn't done anything illegal, so wait for him to cross the line before throwing any punches. His threats warrant enough of a problem for you to escort him in for questioning." Grim minimized the tabs and shooed us from his office.

As ordered, we spent the next forty eight hours getting acquainted with our turf.

On the third day, we got to see Teiko's new outfit. She pulled the costume out of its box and looked it over appraisingly. A slim gray mask fit over her head and rested seamlessly over the bridge of her nose. Her suit was teal and just as tight fitting as the last. A gray, heat resistant metal covered the soles of bracers and her new and improved her two-inch high boots. Her new utility belt was red. Whoever designed the garment seemed to think Teiko had enough pigment already and had nothing new to add. I was privately glad they hadn't wasted her time shoving her into an all-black cat suit.

She experimentally lifted her hand and tried to set her arm on fire. The long sleeve didn't smolder, even when she shoved her palm firmly on her forearm. Seemingly satisfied, she transferred her possessions to the new pouches. Once we were ready to go, she took the time to send a text to Endeavor. I glanced over her shoulder and read without shame.

 **Leaving now.**

We set out at midnight. With the Todorokis' fire and my sharp eyes, I wasn't too worried about the lack of light. Endeavor met us at the entrance to our building. As expected, he gave us both a look of disapproval. "Nice costume," he said to his sister. For the life of me, I couldn't tell if he was being serious or trying to get under her skin.

"Try using more words when you talk. You sound like a fucking Neanderthal."

"I'm not the hero everyone will nickname Sparkles."

"No. You're the hero that took a name that speaks only of an attempt, never true success."

I'm not entirely sure why he did it, but Endeavor smirked. "Fuck you, old hag."

"Let's go, dipshit." She responded with a grin. If I had to make a guess, I'd say the brother and sister were excited about their first joint venture. No matter what strange path had taken her there, they were finally treading similar waters.

We wound our way deep down into the underbelly of society. The three of us kept a wary eye on our surroundings. Endeavor and Teiko took the lead and I walked behind, glad for the glow of their fires. Several of the bulbs in the street lamps were missing, broken, or had never worked in the first place. As such, the streets were bathed in darkness.

Once we arrived at Honey Badger's building, Teiko tossed a pebble at the door. When nothing happened, she used a large rock. The noise clanged noisily against the metal surface, but we were met with more silence. While it wasn't unusual for hideouts to be infrequently occupied, it was strange for them to be devoid of any protection. She walked across the alley and pushed on the handle. "Locked, but give me a minute." True to her word, a few pokes of her quirk later and we were in. I guessed there were enough minerals for her to work with.

Despite my better judgment, she entered first.


	11. Chapter 11

Shadowsnail seemed to have found me again. I felt the familiar waves of nausea and disorientation as he took me from the building. I shot a blast of fire at nowhere in particular on the vain hope that I'd hit something vital. Lost puppy or not, he was getting on my nerves. I heard a low hiss and felt the darkness recoil from around me. Once I'd finally adjusted well enough to see, all I saw was the outline of a large black body in a chair. I lifted my palm, fully intending on spreading some literal light on the situation, but crumpled instead.

I voice spoke in the dim light. "This isn't All Might. Try again."

I expected to awaken bound in some way. To find the same wooden floor beneath my side was as surprising as it disconcerting. I imagined that at some point my breathing pattern had changed. If the guy was still loitering and he had any sense about him, he'd know I'd awakened. I slowly slid my eyes open.

"Finally." He felt familiar, even though I'd never seen him before in my life. "Your costume changed," he remarked casually, as if we were old friends reconnecting over a cup of tea. "I liked the old one better." Even though he was a large man, he moved with a quiet grace and open confidence. Spiky blonde hair stood out from the top of his broad skull. All I wanted to do was puke. I was so tired that maybe I'd nap in it, too. The fellow leaned down and put his hand over my head. I thought he was going to lift me by the hair, but nothing of the sort happened. Though I knew I should struggle, I felt too heavy to move. I felt energy flood into my body.

"That's good." I tried not to squirm as more poured in. I began to see lights, like I was experiencing a sort of system overload. I thought my head was going to split open. "Enough," I said again, my voice quite a bit louder. Would he stop? What would happen if he didn't?

To my surprise, he did. I rolled to my knees and took a shuddering breath into my sore stomach. I felt like all of my muscles had been zapped with an intoxicating level of swiftness and strength, at the expense of being sore. "Bossy, yet compliant. _That_ hasn't changed."

"Well, you know me," I said with a nonchalant shrug. Even though they looked nothing alike, I felt sure that I was speaking with Bear. That would explain why Shadowsnail had taken me. At any other time, I might have considered just how small my social circle was.

"I do know you. When you burned me, I saw you smile." He raised his wrapped left hand.

"You should really advertise the asylum you visited. You're like an entirely different person." I chose not to answer his accusation. What point would there be in admitting that yes, I'd grinned, but it had only been for a second.

"Where's All Might? This was supposed to be his trap."

I put my hands on the floor and pushed myself to my feet. "My apologies, Friend. I walked in first."

"He let a woman go in first? How unheroic."

"Or, stay with me here, how not-sexist." I offered. "How long was I out?"

"Only half an hour. Your body is becoming more immune to the effects. Soon you'll be able to travel like it's nothing."

He spoke so plainly of my future. "Where will I be traveling?"

"Wherever I need you to." He spoke as if I had no choice. "Even though this was supposed to be a trap for All Might, this might work out in everyone's best interest. Once I get rid of that young upstart, you can have room to do whatever makes you happy. You won't have to answer to anyone."

"Except you," I clarified.

"Except me," he agreed.

"And your name is…?" I figured it was about time to ask, since he had such high hopes for me. As he looked now, 'Bear' didn't cut it.

"Call me All For One."

"It's nice to meet you, All For One. I'm Sandspark." He spun his chair away from me. Now that I focused on the world beyond him, I noticed the windows and the dim light shining from below. Judging by the distance, we must have been in some sort of sky scraper. I looked down at the still bright city, careful not to get within ten feet of my kidnapper. Billboards flashed, stop lights changed, headlights moved like ants. "Nice place you've got, here," I said conversationally. I was fairly certain that Bear had been nothing more than an act. He'd been too theatric when he switched his moods. I felt foolish for thinking I'd talked anyone into handing themselves over.

"I wish Quirk Marriages were still legal. Look at you. You're proof they work." My head turned to regard him. All For One wore a broad and triumphant smirk. As curious as I was, I couldn't give him the satisfaction of answering. "Your parents refused to let me meet you, or your brother." Fire sprang to life in his injured palm. A lazy whirlwind of sand meandered at his right. "So I took their quirks and killed them." I caught the threat. He'd have things his way, or no way.

"You would've been quite the role model. I can't imagine how different my life would've been."

"No. An infant like you can't even comprehend it." He agreed. A monitor in the corner showed dozens of screens. Some played videos, while others seemed to be scanning audio. I noted with apprehension that the video of my spar against All Might was on silent repeat. I heard One For All rise.


	12. Chapter 12

"Fuck! Damn it, All Might, where'd she go?" Endeavor somehow expected I'd have the answer. Then again, I did have a theory.

"She recently faced against a villain called Shadowsnail. This is quite like the ability he was reported to have." I wanted to look around the doorway, but a flaming projectile flew over my shoulder. The heat of Endeavor's blast was enough for me to shy away. Fire toppled into the empty building and vanished into nothingness. I stepped into the small room and began my search for clues. Surely there had to be _something_. Inside lacked any sort of light fixtures, furniture, or plumbing. I fought against the panic that longed to cloud my senses. She was gone, just like that. I understood why Navy said looking was pointless. After ten minutes, we could find no trace of her or Shadowsnail.

"Fuck, fuck, _fuck_!" I was reminded that Endeavor was a fresh graduate from UA. He hadn't yet learned how to fully control his emotions. He punched a wall and released a furious blaze. " _Get back here, coward!_ " I didn't know if he was calling to Sandspark or her kidnapper. We withdrew from the clueless scene and spiraled outwards on our quest to find something, _anything_. Though he wanted to go on his own, I stuck near the hero.

"If Shadowsnail returns for one of us, the other will have a better chance of tagging along," I reasoned. Endeavor turned away before I was done. He seemed to barely scan the abandoned alleys and piles of unk. In his haste, he might have missed any clue that wasn't a flashing neon light. I tried to stay beside him while continuing my far more earnest search, but knew I was missing things as well. "Slow down, Todoroki." I hoped that hearing his name would bring him some sort of center.

Just as I felt my resolve waver, a blur entered my peripheral vision. I pivoted just enough to identify the assailant. "Grab on!" I shouted at once. My hand reached out. Endeavor grabbed hold and we both were sucked into a vortex of blackness.

It felt like hell. I wanted to hurl, but I didn't know which way was up, so I didn't dare. I couldn't feel my body properly. Just as I considered that this might be my new reality, my feet landed on something solid. The jarring sensation of being disembodied then made whole again severely depleted my energy, but I was able to keep my legs beneath me. Endeavor wasn't so lucky. He dropped to the ground, his eyes half closed.

I focused on boosting One For All and looked around.

My eyes naturally slid to the monitors, their lights the brightest in the room. Broadcasts, chatrooms, and videos all played a silent parade of information. I recognized myself on several screens. Perhaps I'd look at it more later, but I had more pressing matters to attend to. A figure as big as me stepped out from the shadow of the seat. I saw the outline of his messy hair and knew that I stood behind One For All. Why wasn't he looking at me? I knew that killing me was on his bucket list.

It was then that I saw Teiko by the window.

"Burn some fire," I ordered Endeavor quietly. Surely his metabolism would be faster to absorb the effects if he put it to work. "Now, Todoroki!" I snapped when he didn't immediately comply. The room was not nearly large enough for my words to go unnoticed. One For All stopped moving and turned to look at me.

" _There_ you are. You kept us waiting, so we decided to have a chat."

Us? I felt dread harden in my gut. Had they been working together all along? I made sure to smile. It was better than letting One For All know he got to me. I shifted my stance and prepared to charge. At last, I could avenge Nana. "Not so fast, All Might," One For All warned. I was curious enough to listen. I'd had dreams of facing off against him, but none of them included a collapsed Endeavor at my side or Teiko standing at One For All's window. I took my eyes off my opponent to try to read her. She gently shook her head. What did that mean? Was I not supposed to fight? Was she trying to tell me that they weren't allies?

Endeavor acted first. Still on his knees, what had once been no larger than a torch had evolved into a raging inferno around his body. "You twat," he panted. He directed the blaze to All For One, who summoned a protective shield. I crossed my arms together and braced myself for the onslaught of heat. Teiko took it upon herself to protect the equipment in the corner. Was she trying to preserve evidence? Even with sweat dripping from my forehead, I felt cold inside. Everything had happened too fast. It had all been too good to be true. What were the chances that her first mission as a pro hero would bring us all here?

I knew it had been a trap all along, but let my guard down for a pretty face. I was glad that devices didn't work with One For All. I would have seen them unreliable after having her in my home. In the end, it all came back to All For One. It was him who'd been behind everything. "I don't need him," All For One declared to a shadow in the corner. "Why would I go for second best?" I'm not sure if it was an insult to Endeavor as a pro hero or a sibling, but it didn't matter. The moment Endeavor's fire burned out, Shadowsnail materialized and swept over Todoroki. The two vanished. Now it was just the three of us.

"Now, Sandspark. Show me you can be a good listener." Even as a traitor, she was still going to use the name I'd given her? I felt unreasonably angry at the small detail. "See if you can defeat All Might."

One of the rocks from her collection came shooting at me like a bullet. I raised my hand and caught it easily. Another, then another peppered ineffectively against my body. The pebbles were shaped like chips and had mildly sharp edges, but it would barely bruise a normal man, let alone me. One For All released a disappointed sigh. "Take this seriously or I'll get bored of you," he warned.

She took the warning to heart. A concentrated flare shot straight at my chest. I nimbly dodged out of the way, just in time for her to set off another. I could tell she wasn't really trying, but I couldn't imagine why. I found myself backed into the spot where we'd begun. A fresh wave of fire flew at my feet. The limestone ignited and I was blasted against the wall.

Teiko pivoted and attacked the man behind her. Maybe she thought All For One's defenses were down from watching the fight. She made sure to get in close, possibly in the hopes that he couldn't erect such a small shield. As good as she was, she didn't get to land a punch. He grabbed her by the hair and held her still. She began to rally for another attack, but one of his bandaged fingers pointed at her navel. A crimson soaked blade protruded from her back. "What a shame. You would have made an excellent servant." Blood pooled from her wound. I was frozen, even as he tossed her to the side like a discarded tissue. I found my feet and rushed him.

One For All's fist met mine.


	13. Chapter 13

I didn't know how long she'd last. I could fight him and she'd die, or escape and maybe she'd live. The force of our collision billowed the flames from Teiko's earlier explosion to greater heights. I felt my focus torn. Why wasn't she moving? Had the fall stunned her, or was it already too late?

All For One took advantage of my distraction and punched me in the face. I went careening backwards into the fire. By some luck, I managed to land beside her. Had it been his plan all along? I found that I was uncertain and shaken by the ordeal. I wanted to kill him, but I wanted to save her. There wasn't enough time to think. I grabbed Teiko, slung her over my shoulder, and dashed for the window.

We just managed to break through. I felt reassured by the heat flooding Teiko's body. She radiated it as if she was a spark away from igniting. We dropped. I looked over my shoulder, fully expecting to see One For All chasing after us. All I saw was the triumphant stance of his silhouette.

He knew I'd return.

Recovery Girl was our best bet, but UA was too far. We'd have had to pass by two hospitals to get there. I landed on the helipad, wrenched open their door, and rushed her to the emergency room. The surprised medics were quick to take what details I had. "She was stabbed in the stomach by a sword." I pulled her gently off my shoulder and set her on the gurney. Sticky, fresh blood coated our costumes. While the red wasn't too horrendously visible on my crimson garment, it covered the front of her teal suit.

"Her breathing's shallow. I'm going to need a crash cart."

"No, take her up to surgery!"

I saw the life slipping from her and knew something was wrong. No gut wound should have this much effect so swiftly. The blade had been narrow. It had only been minutes since we left the skyscraper. "I think she's been poisoned," I called over the chaos. A nurse heard me and hurried away. I was worried at how fast she was fading. They began to roll her away for an emergency operation.

"Yagi." I heard the faint word tumble from Teiko's lips but didn't answer her.

I knew that her ego had gotten in the way. If we had attacked him together, we could have triumphed. She chose to push me to safety and attack solo. Did she think I couldn't have handled myself? I felt angry at her, at All For One, at myself. I wanted to go back and fight, but my feet wouldn't budge. I stared at the double doors as they parted and admitted her. I watched as they fell shut. Why hadn't I said anything to her? She'd asked for me by name, but I stood like a fool. I'd have to apologize once, no, _if_ she got out. _If_ … The uncertain word drilled into my skull.

I waited where they'd taken her. I probably would have stood there for hours. A small woman touched my arm. "We have an available room if you'd like to go shower off. Doctors can't make promises, but nurses can. I've seen much worse cases than her pull through. Your friend will be fine, All Might." She led me to the room. "I'll send one of the doctors to you when we're done." The door closed.

I wanted to believe her, but my gut told me she was wrong. I turned my brain off because it was easier than worrying. She was a nurse, I a hero. My job was to make injuries, she healed them. She had to know more than I did. I couldn't manage the concentration or peace with my surroundings needed to shower, so I settled for washing her blood from my suit. I stripped to my underwear and scrubbed and scrubbed, but the water wouldn't run clear. As soon as any obvious spots were gone, I settled for good enough and slid my outfit on again.

I waited for two hellish hours. When the doctor came, I saw disaster written on his face.

I heard his speech in snippets. "A poison we'd never encountered before... must have been some sort of quirk." I couldn't breathe. "I'm sorry, All Might. She's gone."

The police asked me if she had any family. Nobody would leave me alone to let me process my grief. They all had questions that needed immediate answers. At some point they gave me her phone. I unlocked the screen and saw the text she'd sent to Endeavor only hours before.

 **Leaving now.**

I pulled up his number and my thumb hovered over the call button. I couldn't imagine what I'd say, but I knew how he'd take it. One of the cops grabbed the device from my limp hand. "It's her brother," I muttered. He nodded and walked a little ways off.

"Todoroki Enji?" He began. There was a response on the other side. "I'm Officer Brown. I'm afraid I have some bad news…" I forced myself not to listen. His words were nothing to the haze in my mind. I only heard the end. "I'm sorry."

They had Endeavor identify her body, as he was her next of kin. He had her cremated and scattered her ashes, but never told me where. Shortly after, he married Rei. They moved into a spacious house in the city.

I wanted to sit at home and grieve, but I didn't. Even more than that, I needed to work. I stopped taking days off and pushed harder than ever before to reach my goal to be the Symbol of Peace.


End file.
